CHANGES IN BILL

Press, Volume C, Issue 29672, 16 November 1961, Page 14

CHANGES IN BILL

Only Minor Amendments (N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON. Nov. 15. Only minor amendments have been made to the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill. References to “representatives” of unions have been substituted by references to “authorised representatives,” with appropriate definition of toe term. One clause has been reworded, with the effect that no person can be dismissed from his employment for not being a member of a union if he had not previously been asked to join the union.

A limited discretion of the Arbitration Court in inserting unqualified preference clauses into awards has been removed. The original bill pro. yided that the Court “might” insert such a clause, and “must” do so, if it was satis, fled there was an agreement between the parties to the award, and that at least 50 per cent, of the union mem. bership desired the clause. This clause has been rewritten so that the Court shall insert such an unqualified preference clause in an award, only if these two requirements are met. The conduct of union ballots under the bill can be delegated only to officers of the Labour Department. The original bill provided that this power could be delegated to any person.

References to “workers” in the clauses affecting ballots are replaced by references to “adult workers.”