No Agreement On “Labour Only” Jobs

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30109, 18 April 1963, Page 8

No Agreement On “Labour Only” Jobs

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, April 17.

A round-table conference to attempt to solve differences between unions and employers over the “labour-only” contracting and piece-work system in the building industry ended in failure to reach agreement in Auckland today.

A similar meeting, held in Wellington in January, was adjourned to allow the employers to consider representations made by the unions and to put forward their own views.

Today’s conference was attended by representatives of the Auckland Master Builders’ Association, the Master Builders’ Federation, and of 20 building firms concerned, together with representatives from the Carpenters, Joiners, Plasterers and Bricklayers’ Union, the Federation of Labour, waterside workers, railway and drivers. Mr T. E. Skinner, vice-presi-dent of the Federation of Labour, presided. Mr W. F. Molineux, national secretary of the Carpenters' Union, described the conference tonight as “abortive.”

“It was apparent that the employers were only prepared to abandon the ‘labour only' contracts as a means of

inserting some nebulous incentive payments scheme into the carpenters’ award,” he said Mr Molineux said the Federation of Labour had already given full support to the union in any action it considered necessary. “The ‘labour only’ system would not only ultimately destroy the wages and conditions of building tradesmen, but would also prove a disaster to master builders,” he said. “Overseas experiences showed that it would be the death knell of the apprenticeship system of training tradesmen to meet the future needs of a very important national industry.

“The failure of the employers to agree to revert to award conditions of employment will now be further considered by the Federation of Labour,” said Mr Molineux.

“The federation and its affiliated unions will decide the means by which effect can be given to its policy on the matter.”

Mr A. J. Hart, president of the Auckland Master Builders’ Association, said his association had made an offer to set up a committee to look into the whole question and seek a generally acceptable solution. Although the offer was commended by Mr Skinner, it was not accepted. “Labour only.” contracts are used on many housing schemes in Auckland. The building firm from which the buyer purchases his house sub-lets a contract to build the house with a team of tradesmen. Usually the materials and plans are supplied by the firm and the tradesmen are on a contract “labour only” basis. As there is a contractural agreement between the firm and the tradesmen there is no provision for an award.