HOURS FOR WOMEN

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 81, 6 April 1938, Page 8

HOURS FOR WOMEN

DECISION IN PRINTING TRADE DISPUTE [Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, April 4. The Court of Arbitration has issued a new Dominion award for printers’ machinists, lithographers, bookbinders, etc. By a majority decision it decided that the hours of work prescribed for female workers were not contrary to the Factories Act. The Court's memorandum states that the position is that a clause of the previous award embodied an order of the Court authorising an extension of the hours of work. This provision was included in the provisions agreed upon in Conciliation Council. Hence it was clear that the award involved no contravention of tiie Factories Act and as the recommendations agreed upon in Conciliation Council had been accepted and so long in operation it seemed to a majority of the Court that no valid reason existed for refusing to pronounce an award in terms of that agreement.

”1 am not in agreement with the majority in connection with the hours of work for women," states Mr A. L. Monteith, workers’ representative, in a dissenting opinion. "In Conciliation Council the parties agreed to recommendations before the Court, but the union objected to the recommendations when before the Court as the hours for women were longer than the men's hours. To me it seems unfair that women in these printing factories should not have the same hours as women in other factories." The award is to operate throughout the northern (including the Gisborne judicial district), Taranaki, Wellington, Marlborough, Nelson, Westland, Canterbury, Otago, and Southland industrial districts, except that the clauses having reference to female workers are not to operate in those areas of the Northern and Wellington industrial districts lying within ten miles of the chief post offices of Auckland or \( ellington. The award in respect of wages and special payments is to he deemed to have come into force on the first day of the working week in each factory commencing on or aftei December 19, 1937. Other provisions of the award came into force from Thursday, March 31, and the award is to continue in force until December 31 1938.