NO AGREEMENT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 53, Issue 17, 31 October 1932, Page 8

NO AGREEMENT

THE ENGINEERING DISPUTE. DEADLOCK ON WAGES QUESTION. (Per Press Association). WELLINGTON, October 30. No agreement was reached at the Conciliation Council on Saturday in the engineering dispute. Expressing regret that the negotiations had failed for the present, Mr Bishop (employers’ advocate) said the only thing for the parties to do was to continue as best they could without an award. In most districts satisfactory agreements had been entered into, although some trouble had occurred in Wellington. The work was there if the men wanted it. When the employees refused to waive a proposal to insert in the new award a clause classifying workers into various sections of the industry and preventing a member of one section doing the work of another section, the employers claimed that this would raise manufacturing costs in the Dominion, instancing the votal factor wages played in all standing costs. Under-bid by British Firm. Mr G. A. Pascoe (Christchurch) said his firm had submitted the lowest New Zealand tender for a Government contract, but had«been under-bid by a British fif'm. Many thousands of pounds’ worth of work had gone out of the Dominion. Had it not been for .’ the wages his firm was compelled to pay, it would have been able to secure • the contract. , The assessor for the employees said that workers in Britain were able to accept lower wages because their cost of living was lower. The employers, he contended, should help to reduce standing costs. “Every time we try to do it you put a concrete wall up against it,” said Mr Bishop. “Wages play a very big part in all standing costs, and you always fight against wages being brought down. The point you entirely overlook is that we are the least self-supporting community in the world. Our principal market is in the very country * where you say wages are too low. We can not only buy more cheaply there, but we have to sell our goods there. “If you were lending money to someone who was living more expensively than you were you would begin to wonder whether you were going to get your mbney back and that it what this country has been doing,” said Mr Bishop. “We have been able to carry on in the past because we have borrowed to make up the difference, but it does not seem to me practicable or possible to maintain a higher standard than the country to which we sell our products. If we all work together an adjustment can be brought about with less hardship than would otherwise be the case, but don’t think it can be avoided.” Mr A. Black (Wellington), one of the employees’ assessors, said he did not agree with Mr Bishop’ theory. If wages had not been reduced in Britain, New Zealand would still be securing good prices for its products. Something Wrong. “I am quite prepared to admit that there is something wrong with the social system which- has brought about the present state of affairs, but that does not alter the domestic position of New Zealand,” said Mr Bishop. “New Zealand is absolutely dependent upon overseas markets for the' consumption j of a large proportion of its products. If prices do not rise within the next twelve months Ave are done. I had been hoping that when the. new export season commenced things would improve, but apparently there is not much to be hoped for this year.” Mr Bishop pointed out that aa'oo! had fallen Id per lb as compared with this time last year; fat lambs, which had been the only source of profit to many farmers, had dropped from B£d per lb to 41d and 5d per lb. There were just enough' bright spots oil the horizon, however, to encourage the employers to carry on. No progress having been made on . the major questions the Commissioner, Mr Neivton, suggesteci an adjournment. Upon resuming Mr G. T. Thurston (Christchurch) said that employees would like to hear A\ r hat concessions, if any, the other side Avas prepared to offer. No Need to be Frightened. Mr Bishop: Wliat is- the good of sparring for a Avin? There 'is nothing in it. We are not trying to do that. You seem frightened to open your minds to us. There is no need to be frightened. Anything you say is Avitliout prejudice. We are here to make a deal Avith you if Ave can. Is there any hope of success? You are still frightened to tell us. You say, “Slioav ns your hand.” I AY e haA r en t got a hand to show you. If you tell us you are prepared to pursue a certain line then we can proceed to discuss it, otherwise Ave may as Avell pack up and go home. , Mr Thurston said that under no circumstances Avere the workers prepared to accept Is KRd an hour for skilled work. Mr Bishop: YY : ell, gentlemen, all I have to sav is, thank you for coming here, and thank you, Mr Commissioner, for presiding. The Commissioner said he had great hopes that an agreement Avould have been arrived at. However that Avas not possible. Both parties had made an honest attempt to meet each other. Mr Bishop said he believed an agree- • ment would have been to their mutual advantage. However, they weve getting along at present without au award. He thought everybody was making an honest attempt to meet the situation. Mr Thurston said that the employees Aver© just as anxious as the einplov ei s to come to an agreement, but Avere not prepared to agree to any old tiling.