PLUMBING CHARGES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 October 1942, Page 4

PLUMBING CHARGES

EARTHQUAKE REPAIR WORK. RATE OF 7s 6d PER HOUR. Labour for earthquake repair work being carried out in Masterton and district by plumbers'is being charged for at the rate of 7s 6d per hour. A Masterton resident has just paid an account in which labour was charged at that rate. The Mayor, Mr T. Jordan, states: “All plumbing work being executed in respect to earthquake repairs is being paid for at the rate stipulated under the Defence Emergency Regulations. This, for plumbers, is 3s 3d per hour, plus 5 per cent cost of living bonus, which amounts to about another twopence an hour on a 48-hous week. In addition, under these regulations, employees have to be paid for the cost of board, if away from home; which is about 35s or 40s per week, which accounts for approximately another Is per hour, and have to be paid travelling time and cost of travelling to and from their home town. Provision has also to be made for sick pay. All work over 8j hours on a week-day, and over 4J hours on a Saturday has to be paid for at the rate of time and a-half, and all work on Saturday afternoon and on Sunday at double time. Overtime would account for another Is per hour on a 48hour week. So as not to penalise people who have work carried, out during the overtime periods, the charge is spread over all jobs. In the case of unfavourable weather interfering with work, employees must be paid a minimum of £5 5s per week. It is stated that the plumbers, in assessing the rate of 7s Gd per hour, took all these charges into account, but it should be pointed out that all these provisions are stipulated under the Defence Emergency Regulations. The plumbers submitted their figures to the Emergency Committee, which considered them reasonable, in accordance with the provisions of the regulations.”