LABOUR LAWS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 138, 13 June 1934, Page 9

LABOUR LAWS.

CHANGES SOUGHT. COMPENSATION PROCEDURE. " SWEATING » ALLEGATIONS. Requests for amendments to the Workers Compensation Act, the Apprentices Act, and the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act were made yesterday to the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, and the Minister of Labour, the Hon. A. Hamilton, by a deputation from the Wellington Trades and Labour Council. Mr. F. D. Cornwell said that since the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act had been amended, a number of awards had ceased, and it had been ruled that with the cessation of awards apprenticeship orders were also nullified. The point was still to be decided by the Appeal Court, and if the decision went against the apprentices, the position/would be a serious one.« It was therefore desirable that the point should be settled by an amendment to the Act. The deputation also desired amendments to the Workers Compensation Act. At present an injured worker received compensation equal to 06 2-3 per cent of his weekly earnings, and they asked that compensation be increased to the full weekly earnings. They also urged that the maximum amount for total incapacity or death be increased from £1000 to £1250, and that the full charges for medical and hospital treatment be paid by the employer. The charges, however, should not exesed the ordinary charge by hospitals, or doctors for similar treatment. That would prevent exploitation by the doctors. They also asked that the insurance companies should be prevented from deducting 5 per cent when a lump sum was awarded or agreed to. At the present time compensation moneys did not rank with wages in the case of bankruptcy, and it was requested that both moneys should be given equal preference. Where the weekly compensation was reduced owing to the worker being classed as fit for light w-ork, it was requested that such light work should be found by the injured worker's late employer or the insurance company. In many cases injured workers were classified by the doctors as fit for light work and theii was reduced, but the men found it impossible to find suitable work. Bargaining Power Weakened. Mr. John Tucker said that since the beginning of the depression the Government had twice dealt with the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Actonce in 1931, when the 10 per cent "cut" was imposed, and again in 1932, when the employees were deprived of the right to go to the Arbitration Court. The latter amendment had weakened the collective bargaining power of the workers. The Government's policy of cutting down costs was an old, worn-out one. Mr. Forbes said the policy might be worn-out, but if they did not watch their expenditure and their income they would soon land in the Bankruptcy Court. Under the law as it stood the_ employers were able to say, "Take it or leave it," and the workers had no redress, said Mr. Tucker. Mr. Forbes said that often an industry was not able to meet the demands of the workers. Under the old system the workers were able to go to the Court and fight for their demands, whether the industry was able to meet them or not. That had destroyed the spirit of the system. Mr. A. Black said it was not difficult in good times to reach an agreement with the employers, but as soon as the depression came along the Government took away the only protection that the workers had. Mr. Forbes said there were different points of view. When the depression struck New Zealand it became apparent that it would not be possible to continue at the rate they were going before. It was. said that if the rate of wages was reduced it would lead to more unemployment. Mr. A; Parlane: So it did. Mr. Forbes: I don't believe that at all. Mr. Parlane: But the figures prove it. The Prime Minister: If I have £500 with which to pay five men and my income drops to £300, then surely I must pay less if I am to keep all my men in employment. A member of the deputation said that unscrupulous employers were taking advantage of the situation and imposing sweating conditions. " Exaggerated." Mr. Forbes: Our difficulty is to get at the correct position. You chaps come, along and make exaggerated statements, and when we find out they arc exaggerated we have to wipe out everything else you say. Mr. Hamilton is in touch with this question of sweating, and if you bring cases along they will be investigated. Exaggeration won't help. The Prime Minister then went on to say that under a, system of compulsory arbitration an employer was bound by the Court, but an employee was not. If an employee did not like the decision of the Arbitration Court he could put on his coat and walk out. Mr. Tucker said the deputation asked that legislation be enacted providing for a 35-hour working week, Mr. Forbes' Reply.

The Prime Minister said that the representations made by the deputation would receive serious consideration. The Government did not want to do anything that would bring about sweating conditions. There seemed to be an impression among the workers that every employer was a villain. Members of the deputation: Oh, no. Mr. Forbes: Well, some people seem to take up that atttiudc. After all, we have to live in the same world. Mr. Black: Some live and some just exist. If the Government found that advantage was being taken of the legislation by certain employers, said Mr. Forbes, it would take appropriate action. The Government was not going to stand for sweating. The whole object of the legislation had been to make for greater freedom and to make the Conciliation Council table the medium for the settlement of disputes. A friendly arrangement was much better than forcing' people into the Court. ' I Mr. Black pointed out that some employers had restored the 10 per cent cut voluntarily. » Mr. Forbes: When an employer is in a position to do that, he should; but they are not all in that happy position. .