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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1982
+I THEREFORE ISSUE A PLEA THAT THE WORKING GROUP SHOULD WORK AS RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE.
+ IT SHOULD BE POSSIBLE TO DO THIS BECAUSE SINCE SEVERANCE PAY WAS INTRODUCED IN 1974 MANY REPRESENTATIONS WERE MADE TO THE GOVERNMENT SUGGESTING IMPROVEMENTS IN THE LEGISLATION.+
FR MCGOVERN WAS ALSO DISTURBED TO SEE THE UNDESIRABLE DISPARITY IN THE TREATMENT OF BLUE COLLAR WORKERS GETTING 10 PAID HOLIDAYS AND WHITE COLLAR WORKERS, EITHER BY LAW OR BY CUSTOM, GETTING 17 PAID PUBLIC HOLIDAYS.
AND IT HAS TAKEN FROM 1976 TO 1982, AGAIN SIX YEARS, TO NARROW THE GAP BY ONE MEASLY DAY.
HE CONTENDED THAT AT THAT PACE, IT WOULD BE THE YEAR 2019 BEFORE EQUALITY IS REACHED, ADDING THAT IF HE WERE TO LIVE TO SEE THE DAY HE WOULD BE IN HIS 99TH YEAR.
AS FACTORIES AND OTHER BUSINESSES ARE WORKING SHORTER HOURS IN THE PRESENT RECESSION, FR MCGOVERN SUGGESTED THAT NOW IS THE TIME TO EASE THE BURDEN ON WORKERS BY CHANGING SOME OF THAT IDLE TIME TO HOLIDAY TIME.
+TO ADD SAY TWO DAYS A YEAR FOR EACH OF THE NEXT THREE YEARS, OR THREE DAYS A YEAR FOR EACH OF THE NEXT TWO YEARS, WOULD I SUGGEST BE A MORE REASONABLE SPEED AT WHICH TO CLOSE THE SIX-DAY GAP THAN THE PRESENT PACE OF ONE DAY IN SIX YEARS, HE SAID.
+AND PLEASE, LET NO ONE HAVE THE TEMERITY TO SUGGEST CLOSING THE GAP BY REDUCING THE NUMBER OF DAYS FROM 17.
+AFTER ALL IT IS 11 YEARS SINCE WE CONSCIOUSLY SET OUT TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE.+
ANOTHER AREA OF DELAY WHICH FR MCGOVERN EXPRESSED CONCERN IS LEGISLATION TO PROTECT CONSUMERS.
HE NOTED THAT THE CONSUMER COUNCIL IS DOING A GOOD JOB AND DESERVES OUR SUPPORT.
HE THEREFORE CALLED FOR THE EARLY INTRODUCTION OF THE LEGISLATION TO CONTROL HIRE PURCHASE WHICH, HE BELIEVED, WAS AGREED IN PRINCIPLE TO BE NECESSARY WHEN THE CONSUMER COUNCIL ORDINANCE WAS PASSED IN 1977.
AT THE SAME TIME, FR MCGOVERN ADDED, THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD ALSO LOOK INTO THE LEGISLATION ON THE CONTROL OF TRAVEL AGENTS AND THE URGENTLY-NEEDED LEGISLATION ON PRODUCT SAFETY.
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