FARM OVERTIME

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 266, 3 February 1941, Page 5

FARM OVERTIME

ANOMALOUS POSITION ON STATE DEVELOPMENT AT WHAREPAPA

OCCUPIEiIS COMPLAIN

Friction ®has arisen on the Government's small farms land development block at WJiarepapa, Te Awamutu. It is stated that the dissension has its origin in the fact that on the block the labour is classified into two sections, one being termed occupiers and the other casual hands. The occupiers are paid a flat rate of £4 10s a week, from which 10s a week is deducted for hou.se rent, and they can be called to work at any time of the day without receiving extra pay. The casual hands, however, arc all members of the General Labourers' Union and work to an agreement, which, it is contended, does not compel the casual hands to work overtime.

A call to all liands to work on haymaking after 5 p.m. was made last week by the foreman, ihe occupiers refused the request and the unionists acted similarly out ol sympathy. It is stated that the loreman then dismissed all hands, but that after representations had been made to the lion. J. E. Duncan, M.L.C., and through him to the superintendent ol the scheme at Te Kuiti, it was agreed to cancel the; notice of dismissal if the men re-

turned to wont next day

Outside Labour Used,

It is complained that when the men began work on the Friday it was found that the authorities had meantime recruited outside labour, these men starling at f) a.m. and. finishing at 4 p.m. They were paid at khe rate of 3s am hour, against the unionists' 2s lVod an hour, while the occupiers remained on their usual weekly ay age. One of the occupiers stated that when engaged on seed-sowing and haymaking this wage amounted to Is an hour.

The men met Mr Duncan on Sunday and explained their grievances. Thev stated they had willingly work ed from 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. pulling ijn swede seeds, being allowed one hornfor dinner and two '"smoke*" of 10 minutes each, whereas Ihe outside workers had been allowed two "smokos" of lo minutes each in addition to the usual meal hour. Two shifts were worked, but three of the men had actually worked right through the day. The men alleged that they had been promised consideration for these long hours, but that the promise had not been fulfilled .

They added that because they had large families their wag's made it impossible to go away lor the holidays and they h:ul worked instead

for a neighbouring farmer, receiving I's an hour, with a meal* lioui off «nd Iwo paid-for "smoltos <>f

!,"> minutes each