ENG-1959 — Page 61

OCCUPATIONS, WAGES AND LABOUR. ORGANIZATION

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stoppage, but this period would be counted as service for the purpose of calculating full attendance bonuses.

Walkfort Leather Shoe Works Limited. This concern employed 130 workers on piece rates and supplied them with free food on the factory premises. On 3rd October, a new system was in- troduced by the management whereby the supply of food was discontinued but the piece rates were increased to cover the value of the food previously received. 76 workers were dissatisfied with the amount added to the wages and demanded a higher payment. The management found the counter-proposals unacceptable, and the 76 workers then took action to slow down production from 7th October to 26th October. This action at times brought produc- tion in the factory to a complete standstill. The dispute was finally settled when the management and the workers agreed on a figure for the daily food allowance, an increase in wage rates, and incentives for work above quota. The employer lost 40% of his production during the period of the dispute, while an estimated 860 man-days were also lost.

Collective Agreements on Terms of Service. An agreement covering wage rates was signed on 7th August in the Labour Department by representatives of the employers' association and the workers' unions in the rattan industry, which employs some thousand workers. The agreement, replacing one drawn up in 1947, is effective for one year in the first instance.

A dispute over hours of work in the copperware industry was brought to an end by the signing on 27th November in the Labour Department of an agreement covering working hours by repre- sentatives of the employers' association and the workers' union.

Minor Disputes. The number of minor disputes dealt with by the Labour Department during the year was 2,014, an increase of 303 over the number in the previous year. The increase was believed to have been the result of the widespread publicity given to the activities of the Department during the year.

LEGISLATION

Although no labour legislation was enacted during the year, progress was made with the Industrial Employment (Holidays with Pay, Sick Leave and Maternity Leave) Bill. Progress was