VIGOROUS PROTEST

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20763, 25 June 1937, Page 8

VIGOROUS PROTEST

PROPOSAL BY EMPLOYERS By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, June 24. A vigorous protest against a proposal to enable men to be employed in the preparation of material half an hour before the normal starting time at the ordinary rate of pay was made by the workers’ assessors in the Dominion builders, contractors and general labourers' dispute, the hearing of which commenced before Mr S. Ritchie, Conciliation Commissioner to-day. The parties had previously agreed to the following clause: "Except where otherwise specified the week’s work shall not exceed 40 hours of eight hours a day to be worked from Monday to Friday inclusive.”

When the question of the preparation of material arose, the Commissioner said it seemed that in spite of the main clause restricting the hours to 40, labourers might be worked 424 hours without overtime. “I think it is the meanest thing I ever heard of in my live,” declared Mr P. M. Butler, workers assessors’ agent. “I am sure my opinion is shared not only by my colleagues but by some of those on the other side of the table.” The Commissioner pointed out that th words “except where otherwise specified” in the main hours clause made all the difference. Mr Butler proposed that in the case of men preparing material their hours should not exceed eight hours a day. Mr A. Fletcher (Wellington), an employers’ assessor: I am not agreeing to that. Mr Butler: I knew you would not. Further discussion was deferred.