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Concept
First Labour Government of New Zealand
Summary
The First Labour Government of New Zealand was the government of New Zealand from 1935 to 1949. Responsible for the realisation of a wide range of progressive social reforms during its time in office, it set the tone of New Zealand's economic and welfare policies until the 1980s, establishing a welfare state, a system of Keynesian economic management, and high levels of state intervention. The government came to power towards the end of, and as a result of, the Great Depression of the 1930s, and also governed the country throughout World War II.
Significant improvements in working conditions took place, partly through greater competition for labour and partly through legislative provisions.
Enacted compulsory trade unionism (1936).
A Factories Act amendment introduced a 40-hour, five-day working week, with eight public holidays: Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Anzac Day, Labour Day, and sovereign's birthday. Legislation in 1945 and 1946 made the new 40-hour workweek almost universal, in industry as well as in shops and offices.
Relief jobs were abolished and in 1936 and 1937, sustenance payment took the place of relief work, and during those years an average of 20,000 received it.
Sustenance rates of pay were increased by amounts of up to 100% "to provide the transition to full employment on public works." On rate of payment for all was also introduced, replacing the three different pre-existing levels in which urban workers received higher sustenance payments than Māori (who received the lowers rate of sustenance) and those living in secondary towns.
The Arbitration Court's compulsory powers were restored (1936), with preference given to unionists "and for all workers subject to a particular Court award to become members of the trade union to which the award applied." Provision was also made for the registration of national trade unions. This new, more progressive system led to improvements in the pay and working conditions of New Zealanders who had never had a trade union to represent them.
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