WHEN WILL THE WORKERS LEARN

Chronicle (Levin), 13 August 1947, Page 5

WHEN WILL THE WORKERS LEARN

Received Tuesday, 9.0 p.m. SYDNEY, August 12. Thougli the 40-hour week is an aceomplished fac't in New South Wales ano Tasmania and in awards covering many industries in other States, there is evidenee that some sections of workers are already preparing for the next step. Already the Miners' Federation is formulating a plan of campaign to reduee the weekly hours of miueworkers still further to 35. The reasons for this are not clear exeept that during' an industrial conference some time ago it was stated that by the nature of the work involved, miners were entitled to shorter hours than other employees. It was on the strength of this claim that the miners were awarded the five-day 40hour week which they now enjoy. Australian eitizens learned with some concern, however, of , surprising claims by a much smaller union. This week tne pastrycooks' union asked the Industrial Coni missio'n -for a week of 4-1 days to appljr to workers im biseuit factories. The grounds for this claim were that employees should be given time off for shopxnng on Friday afternoons. A union official said that three firms had already agreed to make this concession which was sought so that married women could be attracted to the industry in accordanee with the decisions at a recent conference between eniployers and unions in Canbdrra. The biseuit making industry already enjoys a fiveday 40-hour week. Thougli decision was reserved, it is significant that the applieation was heard without notable surprise or concern on the part of the Judge. It is difncult for the private eitizens to see the f'orce behind the union 's concern about Friday shopping for even in New South Wales where the 40-hour week is general, all shops still remain open mrtill 5.30 p.m. on Fridays and from 9.0 a.m. till noon on -Saturdays. New South Wales shop assistants have been' campaigning for a five-day week ever since the State Government ratified the new hours , but seem no nearer success than when they started. A meeting of 700 shop asSistants this week urged the Trades and Labour Council to arrange conferences with Employers' Associations in an endeavour to ban Saturday work. Those present were unaninious in their demands but the gathering was much smaller than expected. " Many people are asking how this demand for shorter hours' and fewer days of work fits in with the admission of the responsible leaders of the workers and emplovers that coal and manpower are Australia's two great bottleneeks. "When vshll unions begin to understand that the higher standard of living they seek consists in one thing only— more and cheaper goods?" asks the Sydney Telegraph. "Ohviously we shall not get these by workinug less at a stage of history when half of devastated civilisation is on the breadline."