BREAD ON SATURDAY FOR THIS WEEK

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 90, Issue 8, 10 January 1946, Page 4

BREAD ON SATURDAY FOR THIS WEEK

ASSURANCE BY BAKERS’ UNION IN WANGANUI

FINDINGS OF AL’CKLAM) TRIBUNAL AWAITED

An assurance 01 behalf of (ho employees that bread would be baked in Wanganui on Saturday of till, week was give i yesterday by Mr. W. Hodson, chairman ot the Wanganui branch of the Wellington Operative J takers’ Unio i. Mr. Hodson added that a telegram had been received from the :ccretary of the union in Wellington, Mr. A. A. McDonald, who is also the national secretary, indicating that from next

Monday the position in Wanganui would be tlie same as that in Auckland.

This is interpreted as meaning that the findings of the tribunal as present sitting in Auckland will be applicablat, to Wanganui next week. The tribunal, which consuls of three representatives of the employees and workers, with Mr. J. A. Gilmour, industrial magistrate as chairman, was set up

in order to find a settlement foi the dispute in the baking industry which has occurred in Auckland.

i'he main issue for settlement by the tribunal will be the application to the baking industry ot the Fac. tones Amendment Act passed at the last Parliamentary session, which provided fcr a universal 40-hour week to be worked in five days. The Auckland union's contention that the legislation applies to the industry has been disputed by tlie employers, and arising from the conflict of views normal quantities of bread were notbaked at Auckland and in the district last week-end and a partial famine resulted Mr. Hodson also said that a meeting of Wanganui members of the union would be held on Saturday night to discuss the position ana ascertain the views of employees here. So far; no such meeting had been held since the Auckland dispute arose.

Inquiries made last night indicated that the attitude of the master bakers in Wanganui remains unchanged.

The Wanganui-Taranaki Master Bakers’ Association held meetings in all parts of the district recently when it was decided to make bread on six days each week till such time as the Court of Arbitration stipulates the days on which bread may be baked and delivered. It is stated that if a live-day week were adop ed in the

industry, one of the difficulties would be the abnormally heavy output on Fridays of each week, when sufficient bread for three days would have to be baked. This would occur each week and would throw extra pressure on staff and plant. In the event of a holiday occurring on a Monday, the industry would have to produce four days’ bread in one.

If Saturday closing becomes universal the most difficult period of all will be Easter. Sufficient bread would have to be baked on the Thursday to la t till the following Tuesday.

It was also stated in Wanganui last night that master bakers are awaiting the decision of the tribunal set up in Auckland with a view to seeing what effect it will have on the position locally.