PAY IN LIEU OF FIVE-DAY WEEK

Chronicle (Levin), 29 May 1946, Page 6

PAY IN LIEU OF FIVE-DAY WEEK

-Presp Association

DECISION GIVEN IN PRINTING DISPUTE

Ev Telearavh-

WELLINGTON, May 28. A decision in accordance with the final oft'er made by the employers, has been announced by Mr. J.' A. Gilniour S.M., chairman of the Emergeney Disputes Committee, set np to consider the question of five-day week for the rewspaper printing trade stalfs. The written judgment of Mr. Gilmour states that the responsibility for making the decision was transferred to him as chairman f ollowing the inability ' of members of the committee to reach an agreement. ' ' At the outset it must be stated that the parties to the dispute are bound by an award of the Court of Arbitration, " says the judgment. "This award, which ineorporates an agreement of the parties, is dated May -11, 1945. It is provided that the award shall continue in force until December 31, 1946. In Clause 32 (a) it is further jirovided that 'the minimum wages jucscribed shail be paid for 40 liours which shall be Wiorked on six days of a week by workers engaged in the production of newspaper ' At the hearing it was stated by the employers that the daily hours over six days averaged 6 hours 40 minutes. The workers' elaim was for rccognition of a five-shift week of ciglit hours a shift, with payment at overtime rates for any work done on the sixth shift, it was claimed this alteration could be brought about satisfactorily with some reorganisation of the industry. This elaim was opposed by employers on the ground of impracticability but an olf'er was made by their represenlatives at the hearing to pay as from May 5 to any worker required to work on more than five days of a> week, a weekly allowance of 10s in the case of adults and 5s in the case of junio.rs, subject to the payment of two-thirds of said rates in the case of those not working more than four hours on the sixth day. "It will be observed that the workers' elaim is in direct conflict with Glause 32 (a) of the award which en-. ables newspaper proprietors to spread ordinary working hours over six days of the week," the judgment adds. "In eft'ect the workers are asking this committee to make an important farreaehing amendment to the terms of an award during the period of its specilied currency. » I have already called uttention in a contemiiorary decision, to the undesirability of a committee such as this, making an}r decision which would have the eft'ect of amending an award. An award is made for a specilied tenn and workers and employers who are the parties thereto, are bound by law to abide by its provisions during that period. The specilied currency of the award expires on December 31 next and it is open to workers some time before that date to file a new dispute and have their claims discussed in Conciliation Council and linally before the Court of Arbitration. The emplojmrs, liowever, have made the oft'er referred to as their counterproposal for a settlement of the dispute and I am assuming they will be prepared to rexieat that oft'er when the workers' claims. are under diseussion in Conciliation Council and before the Court of Arbitration. "In the circumstances I have dccidcd to adopt for the purpose of my decision, the oft'er so made by the employers' roprosentatives. Beyond that 1 am not prepared to go. 1 do so with a great deal of hesitation bocause the making of such a decision may cause embarrassment to tlie Court when it is called upon to deal with the dispute. It must be understood my decision is merely an interim oue to operale oniy until a new award in the industry is made by the Court of Arbitration. My decision, which representa. the linal oft'er made by the employers, ,is as follows : (1) Any worker engaged in the production of a newspaper shall reeeive an extra allowance of 10s a weok in the case of an adult worker and 5s a week in the case of a junior worker, but this allowance shall not be payable in respcct of any week in which he is not required to work 011 more than live days, providing that a day worker who, in addition to working 011 live days in any week, is required to work not more than four hours on another day of that week, shall reeeive an extra allowance for that week at two-thirds of the said rates. For the purpose of this decision, au award holiday shall be reclconed as a day in the week iii which it occurs. The provisions of Clause 3 of the award shall not apply to this decision. (2) This decision shall be deemed to have eome into force as from May 5, 1946. It shall continue in force until the coming into operation of a new award. "