SPEED UP.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 292, 10 December 1936, Page 5

SPEED UP.

ARBITRATION COURT. , DESIRE AMONG UNIONISTS. DEPUTATION TO MINISTER. 11 Unionists in Auckland arc still come plaining about the delay that is being e occasioned in getting their disputes [i heard by the Arbitration Court and it - is maintained that hardship is being :1 caused, particularly among workers who s at present are not working under . awards. Dissatisfaction at the position that exists was expressed at a meeting of tiie Auckland Clerical Workers and Ollice Staff Employees' Union last evens ing, and the question of speeding up the ! work of the Arbitration Court will be one of the subjects raised by a deputation from trades unions which is being 1 arranged to meet the Minister of J Labour, the Hon. H. T. Armstrong, during his present visit to Auckland. 1 The secretary of the clerical workers' j union, Mr. A. S. Herring, stated this f morning that at the. meeting of the 1 union last evening, a good deal of disr satisfaction was expressed at the long ! delay that was being occasioned in . getting the union's dispute before the 3 Arbitration Court as a result of the con--3 tinned absence of the Court from Auck- - land. The union's conciliation proceed- ; ings had been held late in October. No ; agreement was reached and the case was adjourned sine die. At that time the basic wage had not been fixed, and the , dispute of the Wellington Union had \ not been heard. It appeared mow that ! the Arbitration Court would not return J to Auckland until some time next year, and this would mean that a period of six months would have elapsed before J clerical workers had an award. The Court was actually scheduled to visit Auckland in November last, and the union had been working with the idea of obtaining a fixture then. Now, of course, the Court's return was indefinite. It was felt that the period of waiting for a fixture was altogether too long, : especially as the clerical workers' union was a new organisation, and its members were not at present working under award conditions. During the discussion on the unsatisfactory state of affairs that existed from the workers' point of view, added Mr. Herring, it was pointed .out that the cost of living had increased, and clerical workers especially were feeling the position of not being able to secure the benefits of the industrial lgislation. Mr. Herring said that the basic wage was also discussed, and a resolution had been carried expressing the view that the liasic wage was inadequate and suggesting that the Government should take steps to ensure that the workeis received justice from the Court. It was also decided to seek affiliation with the Trades and Labour Council, and Messrs. F. C. Hackett (president) and Mr. Herring were elected as the union's delegates to the council.