Call for industrial inquiry

Press, 21 December 1976, Page 27

Call for industrial inquiry

> A commission of inquiry - into New Zealand’s indusi trial relations is called for by the industrial reporter of ■ “Manufacturer.” the maga- . zine of the Manufacturers’ , Federation. The writer suggests in the • November issue of the magazine that such an inquiry might bring few absolute conclusions, but could provide a common basis for discussion and subsequent decisions. He says that similar inquiries have been held in the United Kingdom and Canada in the last 10 years. “As inquiries they succeeded because they had ample time, resources, and research facilities, and because they had as members people who were not involved daily in the hurlyburly of industrial relations or collective bargaining.” The aim of such an inquiry would be to build a new and better industrial society, and the opinions of employers, employees, and others could be expressed, scrutinised, and discussed openly“The result of this would be a body of information and a depth of understanding of industrial relations which we at present do not have,” says the writer. He says the inquiry could provide a blueprint for New Zealand's industrial future.