CRITICISM VOICED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 269, 12 November 1937, Page 9

CRITICISM VOICED.

UNION VIEWPOINT.

EMPLOYERS' ATTITUDE.

RETARDING CONCILIATION,

The views of unions in regard to the attitude taken by employees in the Conciliation Council is given in a statement made by Mr. H. Campliell. secretary of the Auckland Trades and Labour Council. "Replying to my allegations regarding the part played by the emplovers side of Conciliation t ouncils," Mr. Campbell said. "Mr. W. K. Anderson, secretary of the Auckland Employers' Association, denies that employers were in any way responsible for the delays in settlements. He cites the roof tilers' ea*e as one in |K>int and tells only half the story. I have interviewed Mr. .1. Mclnnerney who acted as agent in that case. He savs that Mr. Anderson's statement in reference to the workers in ( onciliation Council rejecting "2/fl per hour is mislcading. "The workers in question were quite willing to accept 2/!» per iiour. provided that payment for holidays were coilceiled. The employers" assessors refused even to discuss holiday payment. Ihe case was subsequently taken to the Arbitration Court and holiday payment granted.

Mr. Anderson Quoted. "So in Mr. Anderson's own words. •This case could hare been settled in Conciliation Council and an award obtained much earlier.' Had the e m plovers" assessors been allowed to agree *to holiday payment, for which there was precedent, the award would have Iwe n in operation without delay, much to the rejoicing of both employers and workers in this industry. "In the general laltourers' case which was heard on October 28. the unions' agent described the employers' assessors, us very fair."' Mr. Campbell added. "In one claim they wanted to agree to .'ld per hour above the Court's pronouncement for i-ertain classes of dangerous work. Mr. Anderson objected to their doing so. although this was in the previous award. Ultimately the workers offered to agree to accept the Wellington. Taranaki and HawkeV Bay districts, agreement as a r-cttlcment of the dispute. Mr. Ander--011 would not agree. "In the quarry workers' dispute Mr. \nderson wanted to introduce a youths cliiuse which even the employer**' assessors objected to. In the switch board attendants' case the employers were the applicants and the workers counter claimed with exactly the same conditions under which they are working at the present, moment and no agreement was reached. The Radio Dispute. | "111 the ra<Wo dispute the interpretation clause was the principle bvne of contention, and as the workers were prepared to accept the interpretation clause agreed upon in Taranaki, and the employers would not have anything to do with it, again no agreement was reached. "Those are only a few case« with which I am conversant, taken at random ami could be multiplied innumerably. The workers, side is always willing to concede points to obtain settlements, knowing as w'e did that we may lia\e had to v.ait for months to get to the Court. Happily the amendment now liefore Parliament will obviate quite a lot of the delay. "If Mr. Anderson knows of no case where the employers have not made a fair and reasonable offer, I know of a dozen."