BRITISH SHIPBUILDING.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18380, 13 May 1925, Page 13

BRITISH SHIPBUILDING.

jjEED FOR INVESTIGATION. CALL FOR CO-OPERATION. (rtOSl OCR OWN COERESrOMDEhT.) LONDON", April 1. As d sequel to the placing of a large jSJnbuilding contract with the German the Deutsche Wcrff, by Messrs ynrncss, Withy, shipbuilding employers lite met m conference with the leaders ,f-llie trades unions, their object oig to enquire into the factors which sake it difficult fo compete with foreign Vardß. It was suggested that a small joint committee should be set up to lilika W investigation without'delay, jlc proposed enquiry might have two upcots (1) Costs outside the control of the industry; (2) Costs within the control of the industry.

The representatives of the unions conridercd the proposal, ami decided to consult their executive committees llloto replyiiiß. It is understood that Bjoit Of tho unions regarded the suggestion tutu approval, and they may V,e dfetted to _ co-operate whole-heartedly j fl iho enquiry. One or two, notably jjljfcprescntafives of the Boilermakers' Society, were critical and less disposed to lake fj art ' n thc investigation, but J{ \Hi pointed Out to them by tho lendfrt of other unious that none more than jijy had pressed for an investigation, ltd that now, when the opportunity *>wne, they hesitated to take advuntag'c of it. Candour and Co-operation. Th'fl cmpiayers' action is in harmony ylth (he i.sw spirit that is revealing ItttSt Hi industry—the spirit of candour and co-orcr" l -' Oll - In shipbuilding it has prtiluced not only the. proposal of :i jojit enquiry, but other proposals, also {Kiinatiiig from the employers, for new aiut speedier machinery for preventing jDtl settling disputes, and for a method of adjusting wages "with knowledge 011 tith Bide*, nnd in accordance with the «[hty of the industry to pay." -Tho flnplo.Vers have assured the unions that . tkey ha\c no desire to reduce wages, johvithßtanding the depression of the jidnstry and the rather ominous outJliok, but that, on the contrary, they dMiro the establishment of condition's tint Twll make increased earnings foifilblc. Tho conference was of the "roundliblo" Order. Mr John Barr, of Messfs '- Vfekcrs, Ltd., acted as chairman for jt ijiO employers and Mr A. Findlay, of tho of Engineering and Ship- > bttildlng Trades, as chairman of the 1 3 trad6 union rcproscntatives. I ' lit Barr, in outlining the employers' flfopoßnlß, said that in their wage discussions during tho last few years the Wloycrs had had to urge upon tho 1 unions the growing menace of foreign ! corhpetition and tho impossibility of I their boiilg able, without sacrifices on r .'thft part of the men as well as of the /'ftftpfoyers, to get anything like a fair "ibarc of wOtk, whether for British or * foreign owners, when it was being competed for by Continental ■>' WUfttnes. So far as technical equipment, organ(ising capacity, the science of naval tarchitecture, or the skill and craftsman--4 (hip of tho Individual shipyard workers yore concerned Britain had nothing to in a comparison with any other. i.touutry. By their workers, howover, plccopting A lower living standard Gerana other Continental firms might. fsm\o the advantage of a low-cost basis ppfhich mOrc than otitwoighed orir s'cienco" fiind ikill, ; ' *- ; , ■ '

|V Want of Elasticity. || The groat increase in the price of coal Ins compared with pro-war prices, the lirattsport charges thoy bore, the high fprico of home stoel as compared with fprcign steel wore, with other direct liiUfdcns that" faced them,' relevant flatters to examine.

felt might bo that jointly thoy would P&ve to make representations to the pfoVCrnment on tho question of the cost lofliving with a view to seeing whether Mtiythlne could bo done to bring it Ipwn. Thoy might also have to ask tho SfliSvernment to take such steps as were Sen to them to bring to tho notice cf foreign Governmonta that the standard ipitfd' for workers generally in Europo Wis" going tqt be jeopardised if they pShld not secure ol>9erva.nco of tho 18-h'outs' week in Holland and Germany, ipltabcesvcpnld' bo quoted wliero cost jfjgfsenormously added to in shipbuildp|iby a want of proper elasticity as ifptWoen trade and trade, and between WiMilled and semi-skilled person, gpjynicnt by results could bo extended, Hptr a resultant improvement to -Lifts Iflitus of union members and a quicklipa arid less costlv production in the ffiHUstry. The fufl use of machinery facilities was being made almost |ffii|ilbitive by want of proper accom* jljpation between the unions and tho illploycrs.

§No Beturn for Capital, ith the cost of living at its present o tfco employers did not propose to pttest anv further general decrease of PPiges. timler whatever system in* ffaatry was run thero must be a return Wt capital or no capital would be avallIpfe. Within the last two years there §Md been practicallv no return for capitho fchipbuilding industry. This jjgmH not go ou indefinitely, They must new < and iip-to-dato conciliation vtitohmery and procedure which would jp* *Peedy. in its operation and reach gMklfty without delay and without |wrftation and friction. Their desire Ijwttld bo to eliminato the petty stopil*4W that led to no result except loss |tt.inion fjUnds and greatly increased |w*t'to the "employers, They were prePtofi/also te consider with tho unions IS™ 6 Jades whereby fluctuations of IJWms might bo regulated in accordance ability of the industry to pay.