The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1942-06-25
Labor News From Brituin

an easy going pace. Intensity of the |
war effort is rising too-fOr instance, |
in the matter of working hours. At the |
beginning of the present year the Minis |
ter issued a direction to all factories
not already covered by the general
and certain other important trades.
The latter Order in January fixed
ma Ximum working hours for women
and young persons al - hours week
and for those under 16, 4S hours a
week. The Trade Unions, through the
| +. L. O. General Council, were con
! suited about this Order and agreed to
it but safeguards We're written into
the Order Employers could not use any
part of il without the written permis-
sion of the Factory Inspector. He could
not give permission until he had con
suited the Unions concerned. 1t was,
in fact, impressed upon all factory in
spectOrs by the Ministry that it was
more than ever important to ascertain
the views of the Unions on overtime
before acceding to an employers appl-
cation to extend hours of work.
Since then the hours standard has
been under consideration by the Minis
try. After discussion with the Joint
Consultative Committee, representing
the British Employers Confederation
and the TUG. General Council, the
Minister has just issued new "direc-
tive" 1t aims at the fullest utilization
of labor by calling upon all workers to
put in the fullest possible number of
hours in the week, and the fullest num-
ber of weeks in the year. which can
reasonably be expected of them.
ManpOwer and the 52-HOIr Week
The working of this principle is
brought out in assessing the labor force
required to be retained by any indus
try or undertaking. Where applications
are made for deferment from Gallup in
respect of any worker the length of
, the hours worked in the industry which
, employs him (Or herr must be taken
. into account. Where it is found that the
hours of work fall short of 80 per
week, exclusive of meals breaks, in the
case of industrial work, or 46 hours
per week exclusive of meals breaks in
the case of Office statfs, it is now to be
=. assumed that Il reduction of the labor
personnel can be achieved by increas-
ing the hours of work of the staff re-
tained. DefermentS will not be granted
, to members of the staff of undertakings
where the working hours are less than
f those now laid down as the optmum
standard.
f But here also safeguards have been
introduced 1t is stipulated, for exam
ple that an industry or an undertake
{ ing employing large proportion of
? married women who have domestic re-
Y sponsibilities as we'll, will not be eX-
pected to ask their women workers to
) keep up to the standard Of hours in
} dicated.
1t is also emphasized that the length
l ening of hours of work is only expected,
? and indeed is only justified if the vol
, ume of work to be done requires the
increase.
Application of the principle of length
: ening hours must be discussed in the
t various Industries in order to Set
whether agreements can be reached
:. under which the labor force. calcu-
!. lated on the basis of the prescribed
: standard of hours could be reduced
. and some workers released by other
= means. Such arrangements would be
accepted as producing the equivalent
|. results in respect of the release ol
:, labor, if they involve, for instance. re-
n arrangement of duties as between mem
bers of the staff.
!. Common REST PERIOD Rate
V The objective of working the fulles
number of weeks in the year is at
}. tained by the Minister'S now "direc
). tive by the stipulation that annua
Y holidays should not exceed two week:
in the course of whole year. The
y principle of equality of sacrifice is in
: vOlved here.
y Here you have a picture of Britain
ION its toes with every able-bodie,
+. person, young and old, doing their Bit
5, and conforming to equal standards o
d work.