DRIVERS' AWARD

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 133, 7 June 1937, Page 7

DRIVERS' AWARD

AN INTERPRETATION

The Court of Arbitration wa's recently asked to interpret clauses ;n ths New Zealand Passenger Transport Drivers' Award. The question asked was as follows:— _ Should a driver, who is called back to work in the same day in which he has already completed a shift and the span of thirteen consecutive hours provided for has expired, be paid for the whole of the period from the expiration of such span of thirteen consecutive hours until he is finally booked off, or should he be paid only for the actual hours he is on duty during the period from the expiration of the span of thirteen hours until he is finally "ir^a reserved decision, his Honour Mr. Justice O'Regan stated that 'the meaning of the clauses in the award was that the day's work should _net exceed ten hours, to be worked within a span of thirteen hours, and when tha work was done in shifts, a "day" should be deemed to mean a period of twentyfour consecutive hours. Where a driver who had completed his days work within the span of thirteen hours was called back, he should be paid as from the expiration of the span <>t thirteen hours until he was finally booked off. ~ , . „ "In the case submitted," said his Honour "a driver was employed on a Thursday from 4.15 p.m. until midnight, i a period of 7% hours. He resumed duty next day at 3.45 p.m., and worked until 11.30 p.m. Thus he was called back within the twenty-four hour period calculated from the commencement of his daily span of hours. Having regard to the provisions of- tha award quoted, the Court is of' opinion; that the driver is entitled to. be paid.' the prescribed rate as from the conclusion of his daily span."