DUCK CREEK

Southland Times, Issue 22202, 20 December 1933, Page 4

DUCK CREEK

CHRISTMAS PAY POSITION OF MEN. A statement regarding the position of the men at Duck Creek in connection with Christmas and New Year holiday pay was made by Mr P. Marchant, provincial secretary of the Relief Workers’ Organization, yesterday. ‘On Tuesday last we were informed that men working at Duck Creek would not be paid for Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year’s Day,” stated Mr Marchant. “I was also informed that men going to the freezing works would not be eligible for the Christmas pay and I immediately wired the Membei for Invercargill (Mr J. Hargest) asking him to look into the matter. So that the men concerned may be made aware of the steps taken on their behalf I am handing you these letters.” Mr Hargest’s letter stated:—“l have to acknowledge your telegram of 15th inst. and your letter of the same date regarding the payment of Duck Creek men for the Christmas holidays; also payment for those men who are now starting out on the freezing works. I interviewed the Minister and a member of the Unemployment Board without success. The reasons for refusing holiday pay in both cases being set out in the letter which I attach. I am very sorry not to have been more successful, but the board and the Public Works authorities are quite definite in their refusal to pay the Duck Creek men for holidays.” Not No. 5 Scheme. The Hon. Adam Hamilton’s letter, which Mr Hargest enclosed, stated:— “With reference to your interview with me relative to the request of the men employed at Duck Creek to be paid for Christmas, New Year and Boxing Day. I have to inform you that this particular work is no longer a No. 5 Scheme job, and the names of the me., engaged on it have been removed from the unemployed register. It is a Public Works co-operative contract job and is reserved for married men with two or more children. The contract i on the basis of 10/- a day, five days a week, and returns show that the average earnings are in excess of 10/- a day This work is not one to which the Christmas and New Year holiday concession applies and the request of the men cannot be granted. With regard to those men who were employed on relief work on the 9th instant and who intend to proceed to employment at the freezing works between December 20 and January 7, I desire to point out that they are not eligible for the Christmas and New Year holiday concession, as same applies only to those men who ordinarily would be working during the Christmas and New Year weeks.” Freezing Workers’ Payment. “Regarding the payment of freezing workers,” remarked Mr Marchant, “it certainly seems unfair to single these men out for special treatment when men who go to other jobs after the 20th will get their Christmas pay. How is the Labour Department to know whether a man would ordinarily be working or not on these dates? The freezing hands have been penalized enough during their spell on relief, some of them having to stand down weeks and in some cases months before being allowed on the No. 5 Scheme. In a circular which has been sent to employing authorities and certifying officers the board states that the holiday is being granted to meet the convenience of local employing authorities to overcome the difficulty which would otherwise arise in regard to administration, supervision and transport. The board has decided that in the case of the following classes of workers, work will be suspended under Scheme No. 5 in the weeks ending December 30 and January 6:—(1) Ordinary Scheme No. 5 workers, including those engaged on gold prospecting under Scheme No. 5; (2) bureau workers and inquiry officers working full time for the ordinary ration of relief for which they are eligible or on a rationed basis for the ordinary ration of relief for which they are eligible; (3) intermittent workers who would ordinarily be working under the Scheme No. 5 in the weeks ending December 30 and January 6 to compensate for the time lost by them in preceding months. “With regard to Duck Creek, we have now the Minister’s assurance that this job is not a No. 5 Scheme job. It is a Public Works co-operative contract job. Here is a copy of a letter sent to Mr A. Cook, general secretary of the New Zealand Workers’ Union, regarding this same matter. Note that the men are paid for Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Day if they have two months’ continuous service. On the face of the letter from Mr Hamilton, the men at Duck Creek should come under the same heading as the other Public Works jobs, and further steps will now be taken in an endeavour to have the men paid for the Christmas holidays.” Engineers’ Instructions. The letter sent to Mr Cook by Mr C. J. McKenzie, Engineer-in-Chief and Under-Secretary of the Public Works Department, stated: —District Engineers have been informed to-day that on standard works: — 1. The monthly pay is to be completed not later than Thursday, December 21, and to enable this to be done it is suggested that the measureup be commenced on the 14th. 2. The works are to be closed down for the Christmas-New _ Year vacation at. the usual finishing time on Thursday, December 21. 3. Work is to be resumed on Tuesday, January 9. . 4. No men are to be granted special leave immediately before the vacation; and consequently—(a) Only those men, with wo months’ continuous service or over to their credit, who work up to the usual finishing time on Thursday, December 21, will be entitled to payment for Christmas Day and Boxing Day. (b) Only those men, with two months’ continuous service or over to their credit who resume work on Tuesd -y, January 9, will be entitled to payment for New Year’s Day. 5. TTo men are to be paid in advance for the three statutory holidays (Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Day), but the department has agreed to men with two years continuous service or over to their credit being paid for six days annual leave before they leave for their holidays. 6. A measure-up is to be made during th week commencing January 15, and (a) all men paid not latei than the end of the following week for work done before and after the ChristmasNew Year vacation; (b) men with two years’ continuous service or over paid for the balance of their annual leave, (c) men with two months' continuous service over (including those with two years’ service) paid for the three statutory holidays provided they have complied with Clause 4. 7. Two further pays are to be made between the January pay and the end of the financial year.