LIMIT TO UNION MEMBERSHIP

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23747, 19 September 1942, Page 5

LIMIT TO UNION MEMBERSHIP

NEW AWARD FOR TALLY CLERKS COST-OF-LIVING BONUS GRANTED Limitation of membership of the union, a cost-of-living bonus of 4d for each hour worked, and a guaranteed wage are among the provisions of the new award for ships’ tally clerks at Lyttelton, which has been issued by the Court of Arbitration. Provision is made also for the bureau system of engaging labour. There are two clauses dealing with the limitation of membership of the union. The first says that the employers and the ships’ tally clerks shall agree from time to time as to the number of tally clerks necessary to ensure that the work covered by the award is carried out promptly and efficiently, and the membership of the union shall from time to time be increased or reduced to the number agreed upon. The second clause says that new members shall be admitted by the executive of the union as they may be required. Special preference shall be given to applicants who are physically fit and qualified to do the work required. In a memorandum dealing with the limitation of membership, Mr Justice Tyndall says:—“ln 1927 the parties in conciliation agreed to the insertion in the award of a clause providing that the employers’ union and the workers’ union may agree to'limit the membership of the workers’ union, and also providing that the parties may agree from time to time to increase or reduce the number of members so limited. The same clause appeared in a subsequent award. The workers’ representatives complain that the employers will not even discuss the matter of of membership, and this statement was not contradicted by the representative of the employers. It appears, therefore, that the clause has been quite inoperative for five years. The workers’ representatives requested that the wording of the clause should be altered to follow more closely the wording of a similar clause contained in the Timaru Tally Clerks’ A ware! of 1937, and to this course a majority of the Court has agreed.” The hourly wage rate fixed by the Court is 2s lljd for ordinary time, Mondays to Fridays, both inclusive, from 8 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The ordinary overtime rate is 4s 5Jd an hour from 6 p.m. tp 10 p.m., and the special overtime rate is 5s lid an hour from 11 p.m. to 8 a.m. The rate of pay for Saturday work is time and a quarter; 3s BJd an hour from 8 a.m. to noon, and special overtime, 5s lid an hour, from 1 p.m. onwards.

The general orders made under the Rates of Wages Emergency Regulations are not to apply to workers employed under the award, but instead they are to be paid the bonus of 4d an hour irrespective of whether the time worked is ordinary time or overtime. In a dissenting judgment on the matter of limitation of membership, Mr W. C. Prime (employers’ representative) says:—“ The jurisdiction which the Court possesses to provide for limitation of membership of a union should in my opinion be exercised only where there is the strongest possible proof of a real necessity for so doing. In this case there has been no such pre f. There was a statement by certain unionists whose earnings were relatively high that they would be prepared to face a reduction in earnings for the benefit of others whose earnings were less, provided the union were given power to restrict its membership. This means the restriction of the right of the employers to employ, subject to union membership, those workers who suit them best and who, in the employers’ opinion, do the best work.

“In other words, limitation of membership puts in the hands of the workers power to compel employers to employ not those they want but those the union chooses. I would add that, in any case, the present time, with its shortage of manpower, is the •wrong time to consider any such farreaching restriction."