COURT HOLD-UP.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 267, 10 November 1937, Page 10

COURT HOLD-UP.

SETTLING AWARDS.

UNIONS ASK RELIEF. I

OCNIRAL ORDER URGED.

Knowing that pressure of work on tho Arbitration Court is causing delay in tho settling of awards, tho unions are endeavouring to gain settlement* in Conciliation Council. With thin end in view the Auckland district council of tho Now Zealand Federation of Labour has urged the National Council of tliafc body to roquest the Minister of Labour to issue a. general order making wagc« tl.\o<l by tho Court retrospective to tho <lato oi tho Conciliation Council mooting. "Wo want, to help 'tho Court, to get over tho difficulty now being experienced," stated Mr. H. Campbell, secretary of tho Auckland district council, this morning. "Tho only way wo cnu see is to got. settlement* in Conciliation Council." Thirty Cased Waiting. Since the Arbitration Court made its goueral pronouncement regarding standard rates of wages, ho said, over 30 disputes havo been referred back for settlement, in terms of tho pronouncement. "Wo know that, there Is littlo hope of theso case* coming before tho Court beforo August or September next year," said Mr. Campbell. "It is our opinion that the employer* aro taking advantage of that fact 'to secure advantage. They know, as wo kno.v, that, the Court Is swamped with work, and they aro sitting still stalling fi>r time. "In many cases tho workers, havo given in on point* lit order to sret a «ctt lenient, in Coneiliation Council, but tho employer* will not assist. When It comes to tho question of wages and holidays they will not budge, and those Questions aro being referred to the lourt nearly every time.'' Tho question of adding parties to award* was also raising anomalies. Owing to the difficulty of getting to the Court there were cases in some industries of the majority of firm* being hound by an award, and one of two being outside its scope because, through some oversight, they were not cited a* parties. Mr. Campbell pointed out that when an award was being sought the union had sometimes to search the directory for the names of firms that should He covered by it, and in oases of dominion awards this was a formidable jlob. Hundreds of firms had to be listed individually. The "blanket" clause—eection 5 of the I.C. and A. Amendment Act (No. 2). now before Parliament —would be of assistance in thh» connection if und when it became operative. It Tpoant that where there were industrial itssociatlon* of employe™ in any district till at association could be cHed, and when an awerd was gained it would automatically cover every employer in the Industry in the district.