HOURS IN FACTORIES,

Bb

the Act for the grant of exemptions appear to us to be generally
sound, but, if our recommendation relating to seasonal factories is
accepted, it should be possible to curtail at once the somewhat long list
of exempting provisions. It is a legitimate criticism of the present Act
that it takes too little account of the differences between certain classes of
factories, and one consequence of this defect is that, in some directions,
it has to be unduly elastic. Further, if the hours of work are to be reduced,
 the provisions governing payment of overtime might suitably be revised.
 Werecommend that, where work exceeds 54 hours in a week, payment
 be required at not less than 1} times the normal rate, and that for
work in excess of 60 hours. the minimum should be 1} times the normal
rate

Principles Governing Exemptions.
It is, moreover, insufficient to set down criteria for the grant of
exemptions; principles should be formulated for the application of
these criteria. Hitherto, the Government of India have not been able
to do more than make a few general recommendations at infrequent
intervals. It is desirable that there should be more uniform standards
for the grant of exemptions throughout India. Here we cannot do
more than suggest certain broad guiding principles. The most important
 of these is that exemptions should be given for specified
and limited periods; these should in no case exceed three years,
and should be shorter when possible. This will ensure that all exsmptions
 are periodically reviewed. While a certain amount of latitude
may reasonably be shown when further limitations on the hours of
work are introduced (provided always that exemptions are limited
to the abnormal), the aim should be steadily to tighten up the adminisbration
 and to reduce exemptions to the smallest dimensions possible.
A further principle to which we attach importance is that, if workers
are compelled to work in circumstances which involve the grant of
an exemption, they should, whenever possible, receive a benefit in a form
balancing as closely as possible the deprivation involved in the
exemption. Mere monetary compensation does not satisfy this
condition; what we contemplate is that, where workers are required
to work on the day of rest, they should receive an extra full holiday at an
early date. We observe, for instance, that, at any rate in some provinces,
workers appear to be deprived of weekly holidays almost as a matter of
course in factories working continuous processes, although fortnightly
holidays are generally secured. We do not regard the difficulty of providing
 for relieving shifts once a week, instead of once a fortnight, as sufficient
 justification for demanding so many consecutive days of work.
If, however, it is not practicable to give weekly rest days, two rest
days should be required at the end of the fortnight or failing this either
a continuous period of rest of 24 hours once a week or of 48 hours once a
fortnight. Similar principles can be applied where overtime work is
demanded. We desire to add that in future the 60 hour week should
be regarded as a limit which is to be exceeded only in most exceptional
clrcumstances.