‘Conservatism’ in industrial relations

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32522, 4 February 1971, Page 12

‘Conservatism’ in industrial relations

When it came to New Zealand industrial relations, employers and employees were far too conservative, Mr A. R. Simm, the president of the Associated Chambers of Commerce of New Zealand, said in Christchurch last evening.

He told the Canterbury branch that it was often far too easy to criticise the Government or the Federation of Labour; although he personally did not believe the blame lay in any one place.

The industrial labour movement had the right to negotiate and sell its labour to the best advantage, and it had declared it would never give away this right. Many recent meetings had taken place on labour matters at which, he believed, all the differences had been made known. Yet the fact remained there were some considerable difficulties. As well as importing goods from overseas New Zealand had also imported inflation. MADE DIFFICULT One problem was that big industrialists in the Dominion were prepared and willing to pay more than the going rate to obtain labour. This policy made it difficult to operate a wage structure with any degree of relativity. Among the pace-setters were several Government agencies which were paying wage rates higher than in the private sector, Mr Simm said These had been pointed out to the Minister. Different stances existed between different groups in society, and these had to be reconciled if the country was to achieve industrial harmony. Mr Simm said that the problem of wage relativity could be settled tomorrow, but only at an enormous price to the country. Rightly or wrongly he personally stuck out for the small businessman who had to be protected. Because of the present talks involving the Minister of Labour (Mr Marshall), with representatives from the Employers’ Federation and the Federation of Labour, Mr Simm said he would not comment on the subject of industrial relations in detail, but was prepared to only in committee. 10c LEVY But branches had the right to know how the 10c levy from individual members towards the Associated Chambers’ central office was spent. In the last year this had been particularly good value. The chambers’ legislative

committee had stood against the attitude that businessmen were people from whom the consumer needed protection This theme had been objected to strenuously because it gave a very wrong impression. Similarly, many of the chambers’ objections to the Trade Practices Bill were now being investigated by a select committee.

On the question of the price freeze the Associated Chambers took the attitude that if it were to have any effect on stabilising wages, then it would have to go along with it over the Christmas period although the restriction was not liked., The Associated Chambers had objected strenuously to the extension, and did not believe the move was anything but one-sided and discriminatory. "We have been arguing over the terms of the price justification scheme, which we feel to be restrictive and more a profit rather than a price control.”