DOUBLE PAY

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2932, 18 November 1916, Page 3

DOUBLE PAY

ALLEGED PLOT TO DELAY SHIPPING. At London Munitions Tribunal recently ten men wero charged with refusing to obey an order to work a steamship, and it was suggested that they, left work on'a Saturday afternoon so that they might get double pay-for Sunday work. Sonio of tho men declared that they were not.asked to work, and others that tho order was given in a half-hearted manner. The manager said the firm was engaged in ship repairing and fitting out transports.' He gave instructions for the men to work on tho Saturday afternoon for a couple of hours, but they refused.. Accused and,other men had acted in a .similar, way repeatedly and shipping had" been held up. Tho ' Chairman: Do you' claim tho right to. tell the men to work on a half-noliday?—"Yes; they havo always done it. , It- is only lately that they have laid their heads together to hold up shipping." You suggest that this was done for the purpose _of holding up shipping so that they might -havo double pay for working on Sunday?—" Yes."Do the_men usually work on Sundav?—"Yes, since the war began." , Three-fifths were fined £2 each and four labourers 10s. each. The cases against others were withdrawn or dismissed. The Chairman said in finding that the men disobeyed a lawful order it did not follow that there was a conspiracy to manipulate overtime. "We wish to say most distinctly," ho added, "t_hat_ men at home should not take this line in these grave times while other men are losing their lives."