WAR INDUSTRY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 May 1942, Page 4

WAR INDUSTRY

REGULATIONS EXTENDED

PROVISION OF COMPULSORY POWERS. PENALTIES FOR DEFAULTERS. (Bv Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Extensive amendments to the National Emergency Regulations, for the full utilisation of the man and woman power of the Dominion were announced today by the Minister of National Service, Mr Semple. The amendments provide for minimum guaranteed wages to workers in essential industries and prohibit employers from engaging a defaulter from an essential industry, without proper authority. The power of the Minister of National Service to direct a person to perform service outside the armed forces has now been extended to apply to companies, corporations and associations. An employer may be required to give training to a worker directed into his business and the district manpower officei’ is given authority, if necessary, to require the deduction of union fees from wages. The absenteeism regulations place an obligation on employers to make work available during ordinary working hours and a specified extension of hours if directed and require employees to be available for work during those hours. A worker must not absent himself without leave or reasonable excuse, but the penal clauses enforcing this are designed only to deal with deliberate defaulters and persons who are persistently late for work. To enforce promptness, power is given to the manpower officer to require an employer to deduct from wages, with a maximum of two days’ pay, in cases of persistent or habitual lateness or continued absence for four hours or more,. the amounts deducted to go to the War Expenses Account. A right of appeal is provided.