TRADE AND LABOUR NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 215, 11 September 1925, Page 11

TRADE AND LABOUR NOTES.

(By INDUSTRIAL TRAMP.) UNION MEETINGS FOR THE WEEK. This evening, September 11—Curriers. Monday, September 14 — Gumworkers, Painters. Tuesday, September 13—Plumbers. Thursday, September 17—Trades and Labour Council, Boilermakers, Stonemasons, Related Printing Trades. UNIONS AND THE ARBITRATION ACT. In view of the fact that there is a general outcry against the working of the Arbitration Act from union officials, as evidenced in several quarters lately, the annual report of the Department of Labour laid on the table of the House recently makes very interesting reading. The report says: —"The Arbitration Court's awards cover a greater number of workers than in previous years. The actual number of awards in force (48S) showed a reduction of 71 on the previous year, but the reduction in the number of awards and agreements in forct is accounted for by the fact that industrial associations of unions have taken advantage of the provisions of the 1922 amendments enabling them to apply for awards covering two or more industrial districts, commonly called Dominion awards. The number of members of workers' unions has increased during the year by 2384, from 94,438 to 96,822, showing that while the number of awards and agreements are less, they neverthejless cover a larger number of persons. The increase of the number of recommendations of councils of conciliation made during the year is accounted for by the fact that, following the expiration of the cost of living legislation and the resumption of normal methods of settling disputes, unions have filed a greater number of applications with a view of obtaining an increase in the minimum 1 rates of wages and other benefits. Of 171 disputes dealt with by the Conciliajtion Commissioners. 145, or 84.79 per j cent, were settled without recourse to the i Arbitration Court." The report does not endeavour to account for this large proportion of settlements made in .conciliation procedings, but it might have easily drawn the inference that, the unions I realise there are more advantages to be gained by dealing direct with the emiployers over the commissioner's table, | than by taking the dispute to the Court. | But this is the position. When both ; parties meet in conciliation, the cmj ployers, at any rate, usually look at the I proposal from a local standpoint, and not from the point as to how an increase [of pay in Auckland, for instance, will i affect Dominion employers as a whole. That viewpoint is adopted by the Court, and union advocates stoutly assert that, no matter how complete a case is presented to the Court, no matter how convincing the evidence led by the union, the Court is guided by the thought "if !we grant an increase here, how can we ! refuse a similar concession in other centres in this or similar trades? Hence .the preference for settlements in Conciliation Councils, and quite a number of advantages have been gained in this Way. This is one instance of where it pays to have "a parochial spirit." "In view of the number of complaints and conflicting opinions as to the efficacy of an arbitration system for the settlement of industrial disputes, it may be worth while again noting," states the i Under-Secretary for Labour, "that the ■ New Zealand Act is not truly compuli sory. It does not apply to workers in an : industry unless they elect to register | under it. If they do not so elect they ! automatically come under the Labour Disputes Investigation Act, which requires a short period, about three weeks, to elapse for an investigation of a dispute and for a ballot to be taken by a Government official, before a strike or a lock-out may take place. Only three disputes occurred under this Act during the lyear. while there were 171 dealt with i under the Industrial Conciliation and I Arbitration Act. This is typical of previous years." RINGING THE CLOCK. One of the topics of the past week has been the decision of the tramwaymen, by ballot, not to continue the observance of the regulation which requires them on their outward and inward journey to register their time on the clocks situated on each route. The idea of installing the clock, usually called tho "Bundy," is comparatively new to Auckland, although it has been in operation in Australia and the South for years. The clock ensures regularity of tram service, prevents two cars on the one line running too close together by one motorman travelling at a faster speed than the one ahead of him, and causing a greater interval at times between cars at the outer terminus. But the management did not reckon on the danger caused by motor drivers in rushing past a stationary car while the motorman was carving out his duty in crossing the road to "ring the clock." One motorman was killed on the Great South Road; another (one of the oldest men in the service, who came over from .Queensland, a trained motorman, over I twenty years ago, to start the electric aervice in Auckland) was run over on Rembera Road a few weeks ago, and it is not yet certain whether he will be permanently injured. A third, some months ago, on Mount Eden Road, had such a narrow escape that for months he had to take a position other than motorman in order to recover his nerve for driving. Other narrow escapes from the same danger have been reported. Small wonder is it that the tramway- . men decided by a big majority that until the duty of "ringing the clock" was made safe their lives were too valuable to risk. The tramway department has recognised the justice of the decision of the men, and agreed to the "ringing" ! being suspended until the clocks are i moved into the centre of the two tracks. ' I notice that the Automobile Association is opposed to the centring of the clocks, but the motorists are responsible for the position. As one of the motormen observed to mc: "What's all the money in the world to a man if his wife is a widow?" IMPORTATION OP FLOUR. Last week I referred to a resolution ! passed by the Flour Mills Employees' , , Federation Conference protesting against , the importation of Australian flour into . the Dominion. As showing the need . of such a resolution I have since ascer- ; tamed that one of the largest mills in j Dunedin has been recently closed for ; several weeks, and that another large ; mill has knocked off one shift, thereby ; throwing at least three men out of work, ; arfd'l am informed on good authority | i that on August 10 last two members ! iof the Otago Flour Mills Employees' j i Union resigned their membership simply ! because they could not get work in the i industry. Surely as good flour can be manufactured in "New Zealand as in Australia or elsewhere. Very good wheat

is grown in Canterbury and North Otago. Possibly for a few seasons the local supply of wheat has been insufficient to supply local needs. Under these conditions it might be necessary to impdrt wheat, but eurely not flour, while a number of local flour mills and men are idle. It is certainly reasonable to ask the Government to do something to stop this importation. It is also up to the consumers to see that they are supplied with local foodstuffs instead of the imported article.—"Veteran's" Labour Notes in Dunedin "Star.") THE STANDARD OF LIVING. When there is general recognition that the average standard of living is fixed by the amount available for distribution and the number of recipients, the necessity for increasing production will be manifest. Labour leaders everywhere, but particularly in Australia and New Zealand, refuse to recognise this, and continue to mislead the workers. Shorter hours of work and more pay with less production must be very attractive to the great mass of workers who never think for themselves. The Labour Government of New South Wales has just ordered a reversion to the 44 hours a week, which must have a very detrimental effect on the industries of that State. The Queensland Government has been forced to "surrender" to the railway strikers, who have compelled the Government to concede hours and wages and privileges, and because of the likelihood of a 44 hours a week being fixed in Queensland, and the certainty of increased taxation, the Queensland Woollen Company at Ipswich has closed down and 250 workers are thrown out of work. If with a reduction in hours there was a commensurate reduction in wages, there would perhaps be no cause for complaint, or if there followed an increase in production with the shorter hours of work the position would be satisfactory, but this does not happen. The hours of labour are reduced, the wages remain unaltered, and production decreases. So long as the great mass of the workers are urged by Labour agitators to continue to think of wealth in terms of currency or pound notes, instead of in terms of commodities, they will be unable to realise that every increase in nominal wages must be followed by an increase in prices which neutralises any advantages they might otherwise obtain. It is an absurd fallacy that real wages can be forced up without regard to production. If wages rise and production remains stationary the goods cost more, and the rise in wages is neutralised by the higher cost of the goods. Wages to-day are very much higher than before the war, and commodity prices are relatively higher than wages. To shorten hours and increase wages, which is equivalent to paying a premium for laziness, cannot solve the problem for the worker for commodity "prices must ascend also. If for the current wages and hours of work the country could get 25 per cent more production, the average standard of living would improve because those goods would be available for more people. Wages and. hours are, of course, fixed by the Arbitration Court, but the court has no power to insist upon any measure or volume of production. The employer is bound to give the employee the maximum fixed by the court, but the employee gives just what he pleases, and if he gives very little he is scarcely to be blamed. Under the prevailing artificially-created economic conditions he has a strong inducement to work as little as possible, that is, give as small a return as he; can for the highest wages he can squeeze out of the court. I ■' '