LONGER HOURS IN SAW MILLS

Southland Times, Issue 24300, 4 December 1940, Page 6

LONGER HOURS IN SAW MILLS

GOVERNMENT TO SUBSIDIZE

OVERTIME

Taking effect from Monday, a regulation has been Gazetted by the Government providing for the working of a 48-hour week in West Coast saw mills and in some of the North Island mills, to increase the production of timber for use in the manufacture of butter boxes.

During the currency of the regulation, the extra eight hours worked each week are to be paid for at the rate of time and a-half. Of the overtime paid, the Government is to refund 75 per cent, to the saw millers. The secretary of the Westland Timber Workers’ Union (Mr F. L. Turley) said that the award provided that overtime for the first four hours should be paid for at the rate of time and ahalf, and after that, double time. The provision had therefore been suspended so far as the second four-hour period was concerned. Assuming that the mills in the North Island were included, the Government would be subsidizing approximately 1200 men. Mr Turley said that many of the men on the West Coast did not like to work a full day on Saturday and he believed that if the new regulation was to act smoothly the arrangement for the working of the extra hours should be left to the branches of the union. The application for the extension of hours was in the first place made by the employers.

Mr J. W. Callwell, secretary of the West Coast Saw Millers’ Association, said that the saw millers would carry out the request of the Government to the best of their ability.