WOOL SHED HANDS AND SHEARERS

Southland Times, Issue 23307, 17 September 1937, Page 5

WOOL SHED HANDS AND SHEARERS

ANOMALY IN WORKING HOURS WELLINGTON, September 16. A voluntary agreement about the anomalous conditions in the working hours of shearers and wool-shed hands has been made between the employers and the industrial union. The acting Minister of Labour (the Hon. P. C. Webb) in an interview said he had received communications from both parties showing that they were eager and willing to co-operate in assisting the industry to maintain its seasonal operations without delay or difficulty. Thus, in order to remove the anomaly about working hours, should the coming season be wet, causing the loss of much time, the executives of the New Zealand Workers’ Union and the New Zealand Sheep Owners’ Industrial Union of Employers agreed to amend the clause of shearers to shed hands in the award covering the hours of work. The amendment provides for the extension of shearing hours to 4 p.m. on Saturday in those cases where 44 hours has not been worked in any one week. Shed hands are to be paid pro rata for any time they are required to work after noon on Saturdays.