SHOPS AND OFFICES

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19884, 13 May 1936, Page 8

SHOPS AND OFFICES

WIDESPREAD ALTERATIONS. INCREASE IN OVERTIME. .._—— HIGHER MINIMUM WAGE. \VELLINGTON, Tuesday. Many changes in :he conditions of shop assistants and ofllce workers are contemplated in the Shops and Offices Amendment Bill, which was inlrodu-ced in the House of Hepreseniath‘es last night by Governor-General‘s Message. After the measure has been passed it will become effective on July 1. As was the ease in me Factories Amendment Bill. there is provision for the measure to over—ride existing awards.

The definition of the term shop as‘ sistani is extended to include any person who, by reason oi‘ his employ—ment in the genm'al management or control of a shop. is deemed to be included in the term occupier, as defined by the principal Act, and whose wages do not exceed £6 a week in the case of males, or‘El a week in the case of females.

It is stipulated that no shop assistant shall be employed in connection with the business of a shop for more than H hours a week, excluding meal times: for more than eight hours a day, excluding meal times, except on one day a week, when employment may be for 11 hours, excludingvmeai times; for more than four and a» quarter hours continuously without an interval of at least one hour for a meal, or at any time after noon on the statutory closing day. In butchers‘ shops no assistants are to the employed before 6 3.111. At present the starting time allowed in the principal Act is 4 a.m. 'f‘he Bill does not seek to make an ateration regarding the hour for starting work by bakers. Work of Assistance. There is provision for any assistant to be employed for a maximum of one hour a day beyond the limit in the Bill in attending to motor vehicles or in feeding and tending horses used in the business of the occupier. If this results in an assistant working more than 44 hours in any one week he shall be paid for the additionai time at the rate of time and a—halt’ in accordance with the overtime provisions of the principal Act. “fun the previous written consent of an inspector of factories. the maxi—mum working hours prescribed in the bill may be extended for the purpose of stocktaking or other special work other than the actual sale of goods. However, it is stipulated that. the excess so permitted must not be more than three hours in any one day or 60 in any one year, instead of 120 as at present.

There must be no extension of working hours on a half-holiday. nor must any female shop assistant or any boy under the age of 18 be employed after 9.30 pm. except on Christmas Eve and New Year‘s Eve. Such as sistants in shops where the business of a restaurant is combined with that of a baker or confectioner may be em—ployed in the sale of meals or refreshments up to 10.30 p.m.

\On an occaslon when excess time is permitted no shop assistant shall bfi employed for more than four hours continuously without an interval of al least half an hour for rest and refreshment.

Assistants employed for extendeo time, with the exception of those whose rate of wages amounts to over £3OO a year, are to be paid at the first subsequent. pay—day at the rate of time and a-hali’ for the extended time. However. there is to he a minimum overtime rate of is (iii an hour. In addition. assistants covered by this overtime provision must receive meal al— as laid down in awards or in» dustrial agreements: where awards or agreements do not apply, a meal allow—ance of is so must be paid. Minimum Wages. The minimum rate of wages for shop assistants is fixed on the same basis as that contained in the Factories Amendment Bill as amended lliy the Labour Bills Committee. It is pro—vided that. _the rate shall not the less than 155 a week for the first six months. with half-yearly increments of at least is a. week until the end of the third year. when a minimum wage of £2 a week must be paid. Pay—ment is to be made in full at weekly intervals or such shorter intervals as are agreed upon. The original Act provides for a commencing minimum wage of 105 a week. rising to 305 a week in annual increments of 55. The increase of wages provided for is to apply with respect to all “ages payable for any period commencing after .11in 1. whether the employment. “as commenced before or alter that date. For the purpose of demrmning the rate of payment to which any person is en» titled, nil periods of employment in any shop, whether before or after July 1. are to be taken into consideration. Definite action is proposed with regard to the payment of premiums for instruction in certain occupations. It. is provided that no premium shall be received by the occupier of any shop from any person whatsoever in respect of the employment of a shop assist—ant. or in respect of the teaching or training of any person in any trade or business carried on in the shop. Schools for Learners. There is an exception in the case of a shop approved by the chief inspector of factories as a school for learners, and even then payment. of a premium must he made in keeping with a writ—ten agreement RPPI‘OVt‘d I’." the chiet‘ inspector. It is stipulated that the chief inspector must be satisfied that reasonable facilities are provided for learning the trade or business in question. and that the terms of the agreement are roasonnhle. The chief insperlor may withdraw his approval if conditions fail to satisfy him. If an or-rupier commits any breach of these provlslons ho is liulile to it {lnc of £lO. There. is also provision for payments to hit l‘t‘l‘ll\'i‘i'l‘il from tlii‘. orrupier by civil prorrrding‘s. it is lintii'i‘slulnl 11m one of the Ulijuvis ui‘ this ('lztlisc is in overlioinc “It" Pl‘t‘sonl prnt'lirc of the payment of premiums for learning the ladies‘ hairdressing trade. The provision in sv‘rtlun ii of the present AM whereby lhv signature or a worker in the time and “ages hack ‘operat-es as a prima facie certificate o: the correctness oi the entries is

til‘ll'll‘ll tinnlnr tho lcili. It is lfilil tiowu in :vltntltm‘ t'l.ui>r ”Ml nu shop ns~islA .xnt under tiw age at is shall he re-‘ quired or [H‘l‘llllllv‘ll in I|lr~ course at his work to Hwy or ll‘mlSilOl‘l on “ llit‘yrlv any .Klliltis m‘or Still). in HSSI‘E‘ Kate \\'t‘i:ltl. l .\ special sortion ot‘ the Bill deals Iwith rmpinyment in hotels and restau—rants: The exact provisions limiting thorn-s nt‘ work for shop assistants and iexlentliu; hours for stocktaking or lather special duties are not to apply to workers in hotels or restaurants. Boarding House. Included. The definition of a restaurant and ,shop is extended to include boarding ihouses employing two or more assist,ants other than members or the temily ,ot the occupier, or with 10 or more ‘lJoai-ders. The present Act applies to ’bonrdiug houses in which three or more persons are employed exclusive of the family of the occupier. Hours 01' work for hotel and restauirant employees are limited under the tßill. but in slightly different fashion ifrom the limits for shop assistants. i’l‘here is provision for a «Li—hour week. Inn eight-hour (lu‘vy and not: more than lil hours without an interxal of an ;hour for a meal. a half—holiday from tnoon on one day every week, and a 'working week of six days. The total lanmunt of overtime that may 'be worked in um; year is reduced from 180 to 120 hours. The minimum overtime rates are tixed at is Gd an hour. to the paid on the first regular pay-day after [the overtime is worked. In the event lot“ extended time being worked, written notice must be given to an inspector of factories Within 2!: hours. Section 40 of the principal Act which restricts the employment of female assistants in restaurants after |10.30 pm. is extended to apply to boys under is years of age. .\‘otice has to be given by the occupier to the inspector of any change in the whole or half-holiday for a hotel or restaurant worker. Closing of Offices. The section of the Bill dealing with offices extends the definition of the term office to Include the office or any solicitor, mining oompuny, or minors’ unlon. Tho oxomption in the principal Act. extended to auctioneers, banks, In- - surnnce companies, and wholesale warehouaemon with respect to hours of cloning la removed.

‘ These omces will have to be closed not later than noon on Saturday’s and not later than 5 p.lll. on every other working day. Previously omces were required to close not later than 1 pm. ‘on Saturdays, but the 8111 makes lt compulsory for all offices, apart from those still exempted‘ under the main Act, to close not later than noon on Saturdays.

Provlclon I: made for the paymont of overtlmo In offices. Thll provldes that overclme payment for an office asslstants reoelvlng less than £3OO a year shall be Increased from ad to 13 8d an hour.

In addition. a meal allowance of is 6d must be paid on any day when overtime is worked, although such allow—ances provided in awards or industrial agreements may be permitted. (Mikes and office assistants are to come under the provisions of section 11 of the principal Act, so that any occupier of an ofllce will be required to keep a wages and time book in the same manner as the occupier of a shop. although there is provision for monthly instead of weekly intervals in this respect. No Dlamlssals. 1 A clause with wide scope provides that no person who is employed in any ‘s'hop or otllco on July I shall be dis‘mlssed or suffer any reduction in wages by reason of any reduction or ialterelion in working hours made under ‘the Bill. If a worker is dismissed or his wages are reduced. the burden of proving that such action is not a breach of the provisions ol‘ the Bill shall be on the employer.

It. is also provided that even if extended lmurs are worked unlawfully the worker cunrcrned shrill shill ‘lJe paid overtime. Proceedings under the Bill when it become;- law may be commenced at any time within six months instead of within llu'ec months as at present.

‘ The concluding clause in the Bill is similar to that introduced in the Fan--itories Amendment Bill by the Labour ißills Committee. It is provided that all iawards and industrial agreements iuncler the Industrial Conciliation and ‘Arhitration Act. 1925, whether made before or after July 1, shall he read subject to the provisions of the Bill when it becomes law.

The Bill was read a second time px‘u fox-ma and referred to the Labour Mills Commillue.