WAGES INCREASE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 250, 22 October 1945, Page 3

WAGES INCREASE

APPRENTICE ORDERS RETROSPECTIVE TO JULY 1 The date of Juiy 1, 1945, is to be the date from which any future amendment by the Arbitration Court to remuneration rates in apprenticeship orders shall take effect. This announcement was made by the Court in a memorandum on October 19 (Friday last) to an amendment to the Northern (except Gisborne) Furniture Trade Apprenticeship Order. Careful consideration had to be given, stated the Court, to the general question of dates and to an objection by Mr. W. E. Anderson, on behalf of the employers, to making the order retrospective to April 1, 1945. In connection with awards and industrial agreements, states the memorandum, the Court stated in March that all amendments made pursuant to Regulation 39A (1) in' respect of applications submitted within a reasonable time would be directed to have effect as from April 1, 1945. No such general announcement has been made in relation to amendments to apprenticeship orders. There has, however, in sope cases, been undue and unreasonable delay on the part of a number of workers' organisations in the submission of applications for amendment of apprenticeship orders. It has been physically impossible for the Court to deal with amendments to apprenticeship orders con cemporaneously with hundreds of amendments to awards and agreements as well as with its normal work. The memorandum recalls that to give some lead to interested parties and to assist future negotiations, the Court agreed earlier in the year to hear an application for amendment of the Northern Industrial District (except Gisborne Judicial District) Carpenters and Joiners' Apprenticeship Order. The decision of the Court was issued on June 29. Reasons for Decision Until that date, interested parties had no indication of the policy of the Court in amending apprenticeship orders and employers were not in the position to make reasonable preparation for meeting financial obligations that might accrue under such retroactive amendments as the Court might think fit to make. Having regard to these facts, as we'll as to the delay which has taken place in the submission of applications and in their consideration by the Court, tho decision to order amendments to apprenticeship orders to take effect from July 1 was made. In cases where the date of coming into operation of an amendment has been agreed upon by the interested parties, the Court will make an order in accordance with such agreement.

"It has come to the notice of the Court that a number of-amendments to the provisions of apprenticeship orders other than those relating to rates of remuneration are being "considered," states the memorandum. "It should be made clear that the Court has no power to deal with such amendments under Regulation 39A. It would be of assistance to the Court, therefore, if interested parties would confine their applications for amendment in the meantime to rates of remuneration, so that all necessary amending orders can be issued as early as possible."