AWARD EVADED

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20893, 24 November 1937, Page 8

AWARD EVADED

PAINTERS WORK ON HOLIDAYS VIGOROUS PROTEST MADE BY’ EMPLOYERS By Telegraph—Press Association WELLINGTON, November 23. A vigorous protest against work being done on Saturday though the conditions governing the industry provided for a five day week was made by Mr M. J. Bell, of Christchurch, employers’ assessor, at a Conciliation Council to-day which considered the New Zealand painters’ dispute. Mr Bell said that work was done not only on Saturdays but on Sundays and holidays for private individuals at below award rates, and the practice should be stopped. The workers’ agent, Mr F. D. Cornwell, assured Mr Bell of the support of the workers in an endeavour to have a stop put to the practice. Mr Bell said a vigorous protest must be made against the fact that while the employers cited under the award were bound in every way by the award, the workers whe applied for the award and who were, or should be, at least equal parties to it were free to do as they chose the moment they were out of the employ of a cited employer. “They can and many of them do,” he said, “work on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays for private individuals at rates far below those set out in the award, usually in the guise of contracting for a job, having to work all hours to carry it out and receiving no extra remuneration for overtime such as would be payable if in the employ of one of us. In fairness _o our friends on the other side of the table I must say that they have recognised the unjust situation and have striven with us to end it, but so far all our efforts have been nullified by some peculiarity in the labour laws which we are unable to fathom. I am speaking for the overwhelming majority of employers in our business who employ from one dozen to half a dozen men, and are themselves active workers at the industry. It is a frequent occurrence to quote for a job and later find that the work is being done by workers during the evenings, week-ends, holidays and at prices not calculated to pay ordinary rates, to say nothing of overtime rates.”