WORKING IN THEIR OWN TIME

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 48, 26 February 1941, Page 7

WORKING IN THEIR OWN TIME

COMPLAINT AGAINST WORKERS PAINTERS CRITICISE THE HOUSING DEPARTMENT | Per Prese Association. ] CHRISTCHURCH, Feb. 25. Journeymen and others who have Saturdays free as a result of the 40hour week are still carrying out private work outside award hours to the detriment of master painters. This statement was made by the president of the New Zealand Federated Master Painters, Decorators, and Signwriters' Association, Mr. G. F. Mazey, when presenting the annual report at the conference opened in Christchurch to-day. Attempts had been made in various directions to check the practice of working outside award hours, said Mr. Mazey, but so far little success had been achieved. Steps taken to overcome the practice included the suggested registration of all persons engaged in industry, application to Arbitration Court to fix 44 hours as the weekly hours to be worked under the painters’ award and the appointment of a sub-committee with a view to establishing that in particular cases work is being carried out by journeymen outside of award hours.

Government housing contracts were also the subject of criticism. It was reported the Housing Construction Department’s attention had been drawn to the hardship arising from the condition requiring a 12 months' maintenance period especially with the paint specification insisted on by the department.