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TRADESMEN FROM AUSTRALIA

No Promise Of Overtime

HOUSING SCHEME ARTISANS

Agreement Signed By Men

A copy of the agreement which has been signed by the building tradesmen engaged in Australia for employment on the State housing scheme in New Zealand was made available to the Press by the Minister of Housing, Mr. Armstrong, last evening, Mr. Armstrong said his chief reason for doing this was to refute suggestions that these men had been promised overtime ranging up to 10 hours a week. There was no mention of overtime in the agreement.

Mr. Armstrong said the statement had been made that Mr. Hodgens, M.P. for Palmerston North, who ha'd been sent by the Government to Australia to obtain the services of skilled building artisans, had promised the men he had engaged that they would be able to obtain anything up to ten hours of overtime a week over and above the normal working week. “I am quite satisfied that Mr. Hodgens said nothing of the sort,” said the Minister. "Certainly a good deal of overtime is worked in the building industry, but there was certainly no promise of overtime to the men engaged in Australia. Every one of them signed an agreement in which there is no mention of overtime. “I should imagine that the reason we are getting the men here is to avoid overtime as much as possible. We have a 40-hour week in the building and other industries, and we certainly do not want to break down the system of the 40-hour week. We know there are times just now when it is often necessary and desirable for skilled artisans to work overtime, but the ultimate object is to do away with the necessity for it and not perpetuate it.” The agreement states that in consideration of an advance from the agent of the New Zealand Government by way of loan or part loan for passage money from Australia to New Zealand, the recipient undertakes to repay the loan to the Departmetn of Labour in instalments of 10/- weekly. The repayment is to start with the second week’s employment. Repayments are to be made by way of a deduction from wages, and by his signature to the agreement the recipient of the loan authorises his employer to make such deductions.

If any payment is not made the whole of the unpaid portion of the loan immediately becomes due to the Government, which can take action to recover it in a court of law. During the first twelve months after his arrival in New Zealand the recipient undertakes to work ou housing contracts under the State housing scheme at rates of pay prescribed in the relative award or industrial agreement. If there is reason to assume that the recipient of a loan intends to depart from New Zealand immediate repayment of the outstanding loan money can be demanded.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19390317.2.93

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 147, 17 March 1939, Page 10

Word count
Tapeke kupu
479

TRADESMEN FROM AUSTRALIA Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 147, 17 March 1939, Page 10

TRADESMEN FROM AUSTRALIA Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 147, 17 March 1939, Page 10

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