DRIVERS' CONDITIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 230, 29 September 1938, Page 10

DRIVERS' CONDITIONS.

In your correspondence column of Tuesday, September 27. there appeared under the nom de plume of "National" a statement which, to say the least of it. is definitely false and proves beyond doubt that the force* opposing Labour will endeavour to do their utmost to discredit the Labour Government. He states that the "secretaries" of the Drivers' Unions of Xew Zealand were loud' in their complaints of the conditions under which employees of the "Government road services" had to work, and goes on to state that these objections were duly noted by the Court. The truth is that during the course of the hearing of the drivers' dispute, which was recently before the Arbitration Court, silting in Chrietehurch (and not in Wellington, as stated by your correspondent), we were able to bring evidence that certain conditions which we were asking the Court to include in the new award, were being observed by thrt \"ew Zealand Government road services, and submitted that with proper organisation oti the part of the private employer of labour, operating under transport licenses, the same conditions should apply fo:those drivers. The conditions of employment in the Government service were utilised to the fullest by myself and my colleagues in the Court in an endeavour to prove to tin . Court that if the Government could crive its drivers "these conditions, then flip private employer should lie compelled to do likewise. He further states that the Government i» not bound by the award, and such is the rn><>, for the Act exempts the Government fro-n the terms of all awards, but he fails to statethat although not being parties to the numerous awards in operation. they arc observing the conditions of the awards in most cases. Let me advise "Natirfnal" of this fact that ever since the .Government entered into the field of road transport this union has never had any reason to approach it for breaches of the award, and the promise given by the Minister of Railways that the drivers' award would be observed in its entirety ha* been strictly kept. Tf "National" desires ;i record of the conditions of employment of country drivers under private enterprise, then T shall be only too pleased to siwiplv it to tli" editor of thi« paper for publication, and don't forget. "Xational." every complaint received hv this union is investigated and the report filed for reference. During the currency .of tli•• present drivers' award, namely, one year and nine months, over one thousand complaints have been received from workers, and everv one of them constituted a breach of the award. L. G. MATTHEWS,' Secretary, Auckland Drivers' Union.