OVERTIME WITHOUT PAY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 May 1938, Page 5

OVERTIME WITHOUT PAY

(To the Editor.) Sir, —In your issue of the 4th inSt there appeared a very interesting letter signed by “Fair Deal” which in my opinion calls for some comment. The business people of Masterton whom “Fair Deal” asserts are working their employees overtime without pay, which unfortunately is true, would not get very far if there was a spark of loyalty in the makeup of the employees concerned for the organisations which have spent years of hard labour in endeavouring to better the wages and conditions of these people. Fear of victimisation is a paltry excuse. If all the employees concerned made up their minds that they would not work overtime without payment the 'practice would soon cease for the very reason that the boss -would not have the courage to sack all his employees. These workers could well take a leaf out of the book of the much maligned waterside workers who adopt the attitude that an injury to one is an injury to them all and they act accordingly. While I do not wish to take up the case for the bad employer, I would also like to point out that there are workers who are. spineless enough to sign for the correct weekly hours and wages while at the same time they actually work all the hours they are called upon to work and actually accept considerably less money than they have signed for. Lack of unity of purpose among the workers is one of the worst evils in industry in this country and one of the other evils is the individual who will crawl and cringe to the boss, thereby undermining the conditions that many good men have spent their lives in trying to bring about. Finally, Sir, I would suggest to “Fair Deal” that if we imported a hundred inspectors to Masterton they would not be able to stamp out the evil that he correctly says exists. The only way in which it can be done is for the workers concerned to become loyal and enthusiastic members of their various organisations. With reference to my friend’s remarks about Mr C. Rawlins, the local Inspector of Factories, it is the general opinion of the trade union movement that he is the most competent man that has occupied that position in Masterton for many years. Unfortunately we are to lose him shortly as he has been notified of transfer to Grey mouth. —Yours, etc., R. N. SHAW. Masterton, May 5.