‘Political taboo’ clouding the unemployment issue

Press, 8 March 1978, Page 5

‘Political taboo’ clouding the unemployment issue

An information “taboo” affecting the community’s ability to cushion the effects of unemployment has been criticised in a special report to the Canterbury Trades Council.

Tire report says that unemployment has become virtually a taboo subject because of its stigmatising and politically sensitive nature. “If the community is going to manage or cushion unemployment then the taboo must be exposed to the rational light of day.”

The report was compiled by two graduates of the University of Canterbury. They are Michael Headifen, a law graduate now working as a research officer with the Canterbury Trades Council and an adviser to the Canterbury Union of the Unemployed, and Howard Joseph, a graduate in political science and now a third year law student.

The students and a third, Wendy Marshall, were commissioned to do the report in December last year, by the Trades Council under a

Ministry’ of Sports and Recreation subsidy. The report says more facts, figures and research are needed to show why unemployment happens, where it is most prevalent—both industrially and regionally—and what occupations, sex and age groups are most affected. “The problem has to be defined before it can be eased, let alone solved,” says the report. Information does exist, but all too often it is the preserve of a particular interest group. Dissemination on a wider basis would allow for a more co-ordinated response to unemployment on , the part of the Government, acting in concert with employer groups, local authorities and trade unions.

The report does note, however, that a measure of coordination is provided for by the Canterbury Unemployment Advisory Committee. Part of the problem lies in an outdated depression-type concept of unemployment. The report goes on to say

that differing views on unemployment compound the problem of co-ordinating community effort. For the trade unions it meant a negation of the “right to work” and proof of the iniquities of a market economy. For the employers in general it meant an inability to counter “market forces.” “However, within this framework of opposing beliefs there was undoubted concern at the economic course of events in New Zealand. “In fact, recent meetings of Canterbury employers and trade unions show perhaps an increasing awareness of their mutual positions; that interdependence is more a reality than ideological antagonism.” Much of the report is devoted to a survey of the private and public sectors of employment in and around Christchurch. One of the most serious problems found to be affecting the deployment of subsidised labour through local authorities was that of supervision.

To help overcome this shortage of supervisors the report recommends that those with supervisory experience in another field be recruited from the ranks of the unemployed; that steps be taken to bring back retired foremen; and that with the co-opera-tion of local authorities existing supervisors and/or those brought out of retirement should be allocated to train or oversee where the need is greatest.

The report also urges the implementation of small labour co-operatives as an alternative way of organising the unemployed, and a practical means of overcoming problems of supervision. It notes that a successful cooperative already operates in Christchurch under the guidance of the little known Tuau Mahi Trust.

“Co-operative work teams such as those operated by the trust are potentially attractive to employers. Under the supervision of their own

charge hands, they provide disciplined units of labour.

An increased demand for the Trust’s services testified to the quality of the work being done, both in the private sector through small, contracts and in the public sector of subsidised local authority work.

“This is plainly not the case with subsidised workers under local authority supervision.

“Nearly half the authorities surveyed were critical of work standards.” It also says that the idea of properly organised cooperatives is an example of the “fresh thinking” that is needed to provide for more employment. In a survey of about 25 companies the report found that one of the biggest problems facing industries with a relatively high concentration of skilled labour was the shortage of tradesmen. Of manufacturing engineering the report says, “the industry is without a co-ordinated manpower policy to regulate the supply and demand of skilled labour.

“With the present demand for skilled labour, tradesmen are constantly being lost to competitors.

“Poaching of such labour would appear endemic, and in general employers fear a lack of return on capital invested in apprenticeship traning schemes.” It says the promise of export markets is more apparent than real. “From the company spokesmen interviewed an immediate transfer of company resources will not, necessarily win markets; planning must be longer term. “Markets have first to be found and developed at considerable cost, and a sound domestic base is essential to cover the overheads of developing an export market.”

The report has been presented to the Canterbury Trades Council and is being studied.