WELLINGTON EMPLOYERS ASSOCIATION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 539, 21 June 1909, Page 5

WELLINGTON EMPLOYERS ASSOCIATION.

ANNUAL REPORT. A SALUTARY CHECK TO SOCIALISM. The annual report of the Wellington Employers' Association states:— "Tho, twelve-monthly period just closed has been one fraught with much of special interest to employers, and your committee desires to shortly reviow. matters of chiof. interest and concern to,members. "The office of the association is now a wellrecognised centre at which reliable informa-' tion ■ and advice may , be obtained regarding Arbitration Court awards and industrial matters. Your committee considers members are thus able to secure practical assistance and advice of 6uch value as to more than compensate them, in this respect alone, for thoir annual subscriptions. In connection with industrial disputes the secretary has advised and represented ■ employers in disputes with the following unionSj viz: Bricklayers, carpenters, drivors, furniture makers, grocers, tailors,- timber yards, and sawmills, and bakers and pastrycooks.. NEW ZEALAND EMPLOYEES' FEDERATION. "This federation, members are doubtless aware, represents the whole of the organised employers' associations of the Dominion, and is proving of valuable assistance to the great body of employers as well, as to employers individually. The federation is, your committee believes, wielding an .'important influence on legislation, and is proving instrumental in securing ;a. proper and reasonable administration of industrial laws. In addition, it is educational, in that it is leading employers to a, better- conception of - their responsibilities, rights, and privileges. Mr. Pryor is carrying out his important duties as secretary with marked ability and energy. "The usual Employers' Conference, held in October last, was productive of good results, and the further cohesion of demployers. STRIKES. "In view of the increasing number of strikes which were taking place during the early part of 1808, and of the strike of operative bakers 'in 'Wellington, your committee considered ■ the time had arrived when employers should publicly protest against tho unfairness of Arbitration Court awards operating against them, while workers were openly defying the awards and .taking part in and encouraging strikes. A public meeting of all employers of labour was held in the Masonic Hall,'Boulcott Street, in July, under the auspices, of the association, and. proved to be the largest gathering 1 of employers yet 'held in Wellington. The meeting,was enthusiastic, and passed resolutions . calling ■ upon the Government either to "amend tho Arbitration Act so as to make 'it effective against, workers .who refused to abide .by Arbitration Court (decisions or to-repeal the Act.altogether. Resolutions were .also passed.expressing sympathy with the master • bakers and urging them to' maintain the firm - stand they had. taken in connection with the bakers' strike. . Tour committee is glad to say- that' the attempt of the Bakers' Union to cut off tho people's supplies of a necessary of life signally failed,. and that the master bakers, by great personal efforts arid with the support and sympathy of the community, wore enabled >to meet all the requirements of the people within a day or two of the men - striking.. The Bakers' Union,was fined XIOO, by ( the Arbitration Court. '"'.■..'■..

■ "The recommendations of the Special Board of Conciliation, set up in connection with'the Eltriko of . Auqkland' tramway employees in May, 1908,.called'forth'decided'protests from the employors'of the Dominion against the rulings of .the board, especial objection being taken'to. ,the decision that employers shall give a valid reason for the dismissal of workers.. It is desirable employers should know that the decision' of '.the,hoard on this point has ■ been definitely,' nullified- by the- 'Arbitration, Conrt, which has given its judgment that where an award provides that a week's notice of.'.discharge, must be' given .ah employer is entitled to discharge an employee upon, paying him a week's wages in,lien of notice. AKBITRATION ACT AMENDMENT, "This was-the most important measure dealt with by last Parliament. Your committee believes that .the.abolition of conciliation boards, tho establishing of conciliation councils (comprising employers and workers." actually, engaged in the trade in which the dispute has arisen), and the appointment of; permanent conciliation : commissioners (who are given a free.hand'to adopt any method deemed advisable to. induce the parties/ to come to agreement),, will be more conducive, to industrial peace than any previous proposal or measure. So far the working and results of this new machinery have proved eminently satisfactory, ami give promise of doing away with tho bitter feeling that was apt to be displayed in disputes- before conciliation boards and:the Arbitration Conrt. "The hearing of breach of award-cases by magistrates is hot favoured by your committee. It is considered the' Court making the! awards is the tribunal best able to interpret them, and to give consistent decisions, which would act as precedents in similar cases, while' the varying decisions of a number of magistrates will probably lead to confusion and-uncertainty. "The unduly heavy fines imposed by .soma magistrates on the hearing of the first cases brought before them gave rise to considerable apprehension, and employers protested against the imposition of heaTj- penalties' that were much more severe than the Arbitration Court hod at any time imposed for similar breaches of award. Thero arc. indications that, as the decisions and rulings of tho Arbitration':.Court are .becoming bettor, known, a more reasonable view of. the relative seriousness or .otherwise- of breaches of awards'is being taken. Your committee,, therefore, ■ hopes" and expect that the extreme : penalties imposed for _ comparatively trivial braches on the first coming into operation of the new procedure will not be again inflicted on employers. • ■ SOCIALISM. ' "The spread of current Socialistic ideas amongst the workers and other residents of the Dominion was recognised early in last year. In order to emphasise tho opinion of the employers of tho Dominion that the nationalisation of means of production, as suggested by tho Socialists, would mean the removal of incentives to personal effort and enterprise, and would prore fatal to the best interests of the country and people, your association, in conjunction with kindred'associations throughout the) Dominion, passed resolutions__urging upon all non-Social-istic-political parties the need for tho sinking of minor differences and for their combining to combat tho propaganda of tho political Socialists.

"Your committee believes the Socialists have received a salutary check by reason of the employers openly opposing and combating them, and there havo been marked indications that tho good sense of the workers has been awakened to the fact that Socialist leaders in their trade unions are productive of strife rather than of industrial 'peace. Your committee, while recognising that Socialistic ideas are held and advocated by only a very small portion'of the people, desires to express the opinion that it will be well for employers and all well-wishers of-the Dominion to. view the aotions and proposals of the Socialistic party critically and watch, the trend of legislation closely, in order that any attempt to further the revolutionary schemes of that party may be promptly and strenuously opposed."