EMPLOYER AND WORKMEN

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 261, 28 July 1908, Page 8

EMPLOYER AND WORKMEN

THE DECISION IN THE AUCKLAND DISPUTE, i. A NEW DEPARTURE. f . (DI TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.) ' Auckland, July 27. There is considerable indignation amongst i certain, of tho Auckland employers concern- ' ing the decision of tho Special Conciliation Board in the recent tramways dispute. ■Mr. D. Goldie, President of tho Employers' Association, said to an interviewer: — "I am not at all surprised at the judgment given by Dr. M'Arthur. At the same time 1 very much regret that the tramway author- , ities did not accept tho advico of those who suggested to them to let tho matter go to the Arbitration Court to bo dealt with by them, and them alone. That the judgment given by Dr. M'Arthur is unsatisfactory to the omployers generally goes without saying, and all such judgments will in tho endhave a detrimental effcct upon employees engaged in our various industries, for, as a well-known Canadian journalist put it when referring to tho labour legislation in New Zealand, "faced on the one hand by tho inexorable conditions of supply and demand, and on the other by a constantly augmented cost of production by reason of the demands of labour and of an army of petty officials created to find technicalities under which to harass his operations, tho largo industrial operator is being driven from New Zealand. Captains of industry there are being penalised, not encouraged, and the business life of the country is in conscquenco becoming moremechanical and automatic rather than expansive and progressive." I think these weighty, and unbiassed utterances very fairly fill the 8i11.,' Who is likely to start any now enterprise in this country when he can, at tho dictation of one who has 110 financial interest at stake in tho venture, bo required to reinstate those who for good and sufficient reasons he has deemed it wiso to dismiss from his omployment, and in addition be required to disrate zealous and trustworthy officials who in trying, to protect their employers' interests have given offence to thoso■ employed by him? But after nil-tho judgment in question will have ono good effect if it forces employers in self-defence to combine with the farmers and anti-Socialists to more effectually protect each other, for it is- becoming painfully evident that the Government, through their lack of backbone now that the lato Primo Minister has gono. to his rest, and their desiro to retain their place and power, are prepared to sacrifice tho .best interests of' the country to tlio agitator, and to thoso who by their superior numerical voting power can, if not chocked by tho combination abovo suggested, renew their leaso of life for another term." I An Astoundinc Departure. Tho "Herald" ■ takes up the cudgds strongly on behalf of tho employers. In a leader to-day the journal says:—The finding in the Tramway dispute is recognised by employers generally as constituting a now and astounding departure in the • relations of capital and labour, but it remains for' the public, through the Legislature, to finally determine whether tlio coritro.l of business is thus to pas 3 out of the hands of those who have the financial responsibility. As' long as disputes arose .upon the questions of wages, hours, and general conditions, workmen admittedly had a right to advance their side of tho'case in making a bargain or,in obtaining an award, but to deny the employer the right of discharge'for general unsuitability, which is what has been practically dono iir tho Tramway finding, 'is obviously destructive of all good management, and is moreover grossly unfair,: for it still leaves to tho employed the right to leave a situation whenever it ceases to suit him to retain it. Any man in the Tramway employ can give notice of with--drawa lfrom tho service without offering "any valid reason," but no man <san bo given notice of dischargo without a "valid reason," which apparently means a reason satisfactory to the Union. , The effect of this new development upon tho organisation of industry is plain. It can only have-ono result: to deprive tho employer of the power tjo, maintain his staff at the highest'possiblo pitch of efficiency, and to' reduce .efficiency is to reduco earnings, to reduce profits, and ultimately to reduce' wages.