EMPLOYERS' ASSOCIATION.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 221, 19 September 1927, Page 8

EMPLOYERS' ASSOCIATION.

TWENTY-SIXTH AHITUAL REPORT.

APPRENTICES ACT FAILTJBE.

The annual report of the Provincial Employers' Association fa submittion to a meeting to be hdd <« September 29, deals with a variety subjects. The membership shows ajtt increase for the year of 60. A new section was formed for wholesale radio dealers. At the present time 20 trial unions of employers are with the association with a total aeo. bership of 1000, in 12 trade sections. During the year 367 meetings were held in connection with the association its affiliated bodies.

Wages. The report states that in general tfe unions have accepted the basic rata fixed by the Arbitration Court ia September, 1925, namely, 1/10 an t«mr f« unskilled work, 1/11 to 2/1$ for skilled, and 2/3 for skilled. These have been maintained by the Court, which, without actually breaking tin from its pronouncement, has shcmVa tendency to increase wages further. Ife custom followed for some years by lotjl bodies of making agreements with their workers at the equivalent of Id aa hoar above the Arbitration Court's rates, Si been endorsed by the Court, which ku awarded certain classes of local bodr employees tiie extra Id an hour. J# tfo Dominion Drivers' Award it is provided that drivers employed by local are to be paid an extra 4/ weekly. Hig» local bodies have complained about tik distinction. The report adds that a Court can give a final decision in inHmtriil disputes is a necessity. Beferena i» made to the fact that while the costof living tables compiled by the Goventmat Statistician show that at March 31 Jstf the purchasing power of the soven*a over all groups had fallen by 374 per cent since 1914, wages to —-»t this fall, had been increased by 58.2 per cent. ' ~ Unemployment. -- Dealing with the question of unemployment, the report regrets its jr. valence, but objects to the contuse! & mands by leaders of trade Hiring full award rates to be paid on Goran? ment and other relief works. The aaociation commends the Government for providing temporary work, and also for refusing to pay full"rates for relief work. The report suggests that the iwi*H increase in wages is a factor ia-the matter of present unemployment. Apprentices. In connection with the Apprentices Act the report has the following;— * ' f "Notwithstanding that the tices Act has had another year's trial, ve cannot say its working has shown sit improvement. Many boys are still being shut out from apprenticeships, and, owing to the district quota being fnH a some trades, employers who would atka> wise be entitled to one or mare>appreatices are debarred from taking ttea. The unions continue to make-fu^pge of Act and the Arbitration Coort is their endeavours to restrict the nmnber of apprentices in the skilled trades." The report adds: "We are of opinio, however, that the whole Act icquim overhauling, and that the administration should be put into the hands of a commissioner, whose duty it would be to allot apprentices to the different and to give advice to boys flwir parents in regard to choosing a trade."