WORKERS' CLAIM

Chronicle (Levin), 5 March 1946, Page 5

WORKERS' CLAIM

V flftl COURT RESUMES HEARING Received Monday 9.45 p.m. MELBOURNE, March 4. So many industrial leaders paclted the Court when the 40-hour week casz was resmned today that many people were forced to stand. The case is the most important fcn Austraiian industry that has come before the Court for years. It virf •■'f - as an examination of the printing industry employees' union claim for a 40-hour week. but permission was granted, when the case came up for orjginal hearing, for the Government and other interested bodies to inte 'vene This has had the effect of turning the case into a general oue concerning the appiication of the 40-hour week to industry. The opening stages of today 's hearing were confined to argimrent as to whether the Court should restrict itself to the appiication for a 40-hour week in the printing industry or whether this should be broadened to take in the larger question. Leave was asked for the Australasian Council of Trade Unions ro intervene, along with 38 unions. Counsel for the printers said he had diiiicuity in seeing how the other unions were interested in the printers' claims. He asked that the printers' case should be hc-ard first. Mr. Justice Kelly ruled that the Attorney-General was entitled to intervene in any question in which the mat-t-.Fgjv of standard hours of work in any «P%try was in dispute, but his intergLution did not turn a particuiar case "ito a general case. The hearing is proceeding.