LABOUR NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 249, 21 October 1933, Page 16

LABOUR NOTES.

UNION ACTIVITIES. (By INDUSTRIAL TRAMP.) UNION MEETINGS FOR THE WEEK. Monday, October 23.—Labour Day Celebration in Domain. Thursday, October 26.—Labour Representation Committee. LABOUR DAY, 1933. Reference to our advertising columns this evening will give details of the annual Labour Day celebration for this year. Like last year's function, to meet the stringent times, the day is to oe spent in the Domain Cricket Ground, with free admission. The programme of dancing events is entirely run by the Auckland Highland and National Dancing Society, and, being a long and comprehensive one, will start in the morning in order to get through before dark. A record number of entries has -been received for the sports programme in the afternoon, which is in charge of the Auckland Amateur and Athletic Cycling Club, and the track being in first-class order, some interesting racing is anticipated. For the children, racing events for all ages will be controlled by a separate committee, and by the generous co-operation of the business firms of the city there will be prizes, sweets and fruit for the little ones. Hot water and milk will be provided free, so that, with free admission, families can make a picnic day of the function. A YORKSHIRE WAGES AGREEMENT. News has come to hand of a new wage agreement in the West Riding of Yorkshire arranged for the dyeing industry, which would indicate that employers, after much, serious thought, have awakened to the fact that cutting down wages leads in an opposite direction from national prosperity. Mr. G. H. Bignall, secretary of the Society of Dyers, Bleachers, Finishers and Kindred Trades, has made known the provisions agreed on by the employers, which, according to the "Yorkshire Post" representative who discussed- the matter with the secretary, asserts that some of the concessions were unique in the industrial sphere. The agreement provides for:— 1. A wage based on the cost of living figures 14 points higher than the present official figure of 36. 2. A 47-hour working week. 3. A minimum wage ranging from 47/ to 66/ per week for adult males, to be paid all the year round to every worker with four years' service in the trade. 1 4. A guaranteed minimum of 75 per cent of the basic wage when working short time to other operatives with less than four years' service in the trade, j 5. Payment for holidays for all workers. 6. The limitation of overtime to nine hours in any week, and the establishment of a maximum working week of 56 hours. Something new in wages agreements has surely arrived, e.g., the guaranteed wage and the regular payment of the minimum wage after a specified length of service; the payment for holidays and the limitation of overtime are features which have not hitherto operated in -the dyeing and finishing industry of Yorkshire and Lancashire. "The Dyer and Calico Printer," publishing these facts, emphasises the desire of employer and employee to mutually arrange all wages agreements to the benefit of boi^i. GRAPPLING WITH SITUATION. A cheering sign of the times is the manner in which the present strenuous economic situation is being brought up in the proceedings'of the Church Synods that meet from time to time. This indicates that not all the Synod members are conservative in their opinions. The Anglican Church Synod that has just concluded its annual meeting is a case in point, and the Rev. Walter Averill is to be commended in bringing forward a comprehensive ■ resolution which was debated quite pointedly on both sides. With, a candid criticism of our present-day policy, he laid the facts and position before this eminently high ecclesiastical court, from the position of the "under dog.''. His arguments met with quite a mixed reception, as was to foe expected,- even to one layman moving a resolution to "proceed with the next business," an old constitutional method designed to stop an unpalatable discussion, but to the credit of the Synod, this move was defeated, and the subject was debated to the full extent. Mr. Averill was supported by other speakers, one of whom, the Rev. J. H. Cable, of Henderson, from his experience of the unemployed camps,-strongly criticised the sending of married unemployed away from their wives and families into camp. The result of the debate was that a combined cofiimittee brought down a recommendation to the Synod of a series of findings, which was accepted and passed unanimously, but there was a considerable "watering down" from the resolution as originally introduced by Mr. Averill. TRADES UNIONS IN NEW SYSTEM. "Observer," in his column of "The Industrial World," in the Christchurch "Star," under this heading writes:— The new economic system that is emerging can be visualised by the formation of boards to control various industries. This means the curtailment of the power of free competition, with its economic wastage or loss. This tendency is shown in New Zealand by the formation of the Meat Board, the Dairy Board and the Wheat Board, for the control of marketing only, but the Railway Board has complete control of all departwents. This is a complete change from the collectivist theory of control by Parliament. It jvas found that Parliamentary control of railways, tramways and other undertakings was not as efficient as was possible, therefore boards of control, whether appointed according to the capacity of the individual member or according to representation, seem the next step. The need for the workers to be represented on these boards or for the formation of some kind of intermediate body on which the workers' interests could be represented, is seen in the friction that has arisen in the railway workshops quite recently as a result of speeding-up methods. The good will of the employees is a paramount necessity in any firm, and particularly in a State industry.

Now that the board system of control is coming into being, the trade unions | should be agitating and formulating a j policy whereby the interests of the workers in the industry could be protected or safeguarded. The Miners' Federation of Great Britain did formulate such a policy when the idea of State ownership of the mines was under consideration. The trade unions must keep abreast with economic changes,