ANNUAL HOLIDAY ON PAY

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVI, Issue 21378, 22 June 1939, Page 6

ANNUAL HOLIDAY ON PAY

Building Trades Strongly In Favour EARLY PASSING OF LEGISLATION ADVOCATED By Telegraph—Press Association AUCKLAND, June 21 While desiring a provision in their I award for paid annual holidays, mem- i bers of the Auckland Carpenters’ and I Joiners’ Union, at a mass meeting of I protest against the award, decided to | impress on the Government the neces- I sity of proceeding with the proposed I holidays-with-pay legislation promised ’ in the impending session. They were 1 supported by other representatives of | the building trade present. ' Mr J. G. Kennerley, secretary of the i Union, said it might be thought that there was no need to urge the Govern- | ment to proceed with the measure in I view of its announced intention to do i so, but it was felt that pressure was I being exercised in various quarters I to kill the proposed Bill. Those I present knew very well that banking , interests in London were trying to i force the Government from its pro- I gressive policy. Holidays with pay . were accepted as a principle in many i European countries. He therefore j moved: “That this mass meeting of i the building trades workers of Auckland expresses its satisfaction at the intention of the Government to bring down a holidays-with-pay Bill, and urge the early introduction and putting into operation of its full provisions, at the same time assuring the Government of our full and united support. The present conditions of employment in the building trades, with its general insecurity of work, lost time between jobs and through wet weather, pay on an hourly basis, unpaid statutory and incidental holidays, make this legislation most appropriate and especially desirable.’’ Mr H. Staley, representing the Stonemasons’ Union, and Mr J. Martindale, of the Roof Tilers’ Union, said that their Unions already enjoyed paid holidays under their awards, but wholeheartedly supported its extension to other trades. Representatives of the steel workers and plasterers also supported the motion. The motion was carried, and it was agreed to request the Federation of Labour’ to organise a mass demonstration in support of the proposed legislation as it was believed that such a form of support was desirable at the present time.