Please wait. Contacting image service... loading

Article text

INDUSTRIAL
FEDERAL ARBITRATION
OPPOSITION TO
PIECEWORK
"Brings Out Worst In
Human Beings"
SYDNEY, July 16.
Unions opposed piece work rates because
the system brought out the worst in
human beings, said the Federal secretary
of the Moulders Union (Mr. W.J. Har-
greavesl at the resumed hearing of the
40-hour week case in the Arbitration
Court today.
His union's 6,000 members were en
raged In heavy industry made unpleasant
by fumes and excessive heat.
Asked whether the union had a de
finite policy opposing payment of worker*
by results. Mr. Hargreaves said that Ov
onion had made a number of agreement*
for payment* of bomuex, baaed on collec
tive output. It ni opposed to bonuses
for individuals.
Mr. B. M. Bgrleston (for the unions)—
What is your objection to individual piece
work payments?
Mr. Hargreavei—lt puts one Individual
against another to the ultimate ruin of
the Individual and those associated with
him.
Judge O'Mara —Your objection is to
pieceworkers competing against each
other, and one driving the other.
Mr. Bargreaves—And only young men
can stand up to it In our job. A man
over 40 would not want It.
Mr. Rargreaves said that all his union's
members worked the 44-hour week Id on
days. Some few foundries began a five
day week In 1924. vben 48 noun were
worked. His union did not oppose it
beeauae the two-day break compensated
for the longer working, day. , Generally
speaking, the Australian foundry indus
try vu as efficient as In the OSA v
there were some good well mechanised
foundries, as in America, and some In
efficient hovels. There was no reason
for primitive foundries either in America
or Australia. '
Eolpwit Of rauarias
If all Australian foundries wen
equipped w they should be, he said, there
would be a greater production per man
boar.
Mr. Charles Edward Mundy. arbitra
tion ofllcer of the Amalgamated Engineer
ing Union, completing his evidence from
Monday, raid that Australian manufac
turers were, in relation to oversea com
petition. In a much better position than
In 1927 when hours were reduced from
48 to 44. The 44-hours week did not
generally produce excessive fatigue, ex
cept in repetitive work when the fatigue
was more mental than physical and re
suited In unconscious slowlng-up. A
reduction in hours would Improve em
ployer-employe relations.
Acting Chief Judge Drake-Broclcman
pointed out that In a recent Judgment
employers bad given evtdencs that pro
duction per man hour day was 40 p.c.
less than in 1938.
Mr. Mundy said that today more
trainees and semi-trained men were doing
tradesmen's work.
The hearing wan adjourned till to
morrow. 4
Civic Concert.—The programme
lor the lunch-hour concert in the
Adelaide Town Hall at 1.15 pm.
today Includes the second move
ment of Grieg's piano concerto in
A minor, played by Miss Shirley
Catt. with the organ taking the
orchestral part. "Aye Maria,"
from Verdi's "Otello," and Dvorak's
"Sing Te a Joyful Song' will be
sung by Miss Gertrude Drake. The
City Organist <Mr. Harold Wyloe)
will play Bach's prelude and fugue
in E minor and works by Wolsten
hoVne. Handel and Wesley.
$