40-HOUR WEEK FOR SOAP WORKERS

Southland Times, Issue 24236, 20 September 1940, Page 10

40-HOUR WEEK FOR SOAP WORKERS

RETROSPECTIVE PROVISION FOR WAGES The Northern, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago and Southland Soapworkers’ Award, which has been issued by the Arbitration Court, provides that the ordinary hours of work shall not j exceed 40 a week or 8 a day, and shall be‘worked as follows:—From Mondays to Fridays inclusive, between the hours of 7.45 a.m. and 5 p.m., with threequarters of an hour allowed on each day for lunch, provided, however, that the present practice as to Saturday work by workers in the starch department shall be allowed to continue but any work performed on Saturday shall be paid for at the overtime rates prescribed. By mutual agreement the starting hour may be altered to 7.30 a.m. Among other provisions of the award are the following:— Two or three shifts of eight hours may be worked, if necessary, on the first five days of the week. Workers employed on shift work shall during each shift be allowed 30 minutes for a meal without deduction from wages. A worker employed on shift work between the hours of 5 p.m. and 7.45 a.m. shall be paid 1/6 a shift in addition to the wage specified. The minimum rate of pay for male workers over the age of 21 years shall be not less than 2/4 per hour. Male workers in control of five or more men and male charge hands in charge of processes shall be paid 1/- a day extra. WAGES FOR YOUTHS

The minimum weekly rates of wages payable to youths range from £1 for workers under 16, for the first six months, to £3/10/- for the final six months before attaining 21 years. Female workers may be employed at 17/6 if under 16, ranging to £2/5/6 for the second half of the fourth year of employment, and thereafter at not less than £2/10/- a week. All rates of remuneration shall be subject to the recent General Order granting an increase of 5 per cent. The following shall be recognized holidays:—New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Anzac Day, King’s Birthday, Labour Day, Christmas Day and Boxing Day; and, in the Canterbury and Otago and Southland districts, two other days to be mutually agreed upon between the union and each individual employer, but a worker shall not be paid for such holidays unless he ■ works.

When any of the above holidays other than Anzac Day falls on a Sunday, such holidays shall be observed on the following Monday. When Christmas Day falls on a Sunday, Boxing Day shall be observed on the Tuesday following. The employer shall supply aprons, leggings, gumboots, respirators, and all other materials necessary to carry on the work. In all cases where men are called out and there is no work, or less than two hours’ work available, they shall receive a minimum of two hours’ pay at the rate specified. This award, in so far as it relates to wages, shall be deemed to have come into force on June 17, 1940, and in all the other conditions it shall come into force on the day of the pronouncement. It shall continue in force until June 17, 1941.