AWARDS SUSPENDED

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 61, 5 December 1917, Page 5

AWARDS SUSPENDED

TO HELP DISABLED SOLDIERS

THE STEP EXPLAINED

By Order-in-Council gazetted last night .the Government has suspended the operations of all industrial awards end all the provisions of the Industrial Conciliation Act in so far aa they prevent or restrict the training or employment of returned soldiers in certain industries. This means, the suspension of the provisions in awards governing the issue of under-rate- workers' permits as applying to returned soldiers, and the reason for the step taken, as explained by the Minister in the House during last session of Parliament, is that the procedure _is so cumbrous that it would make it impossible sometimes for a returned solSlier to get employment at all. Following is the explanatory schedule (attached to the Order-in-Council:—

, 1. For the purposes of this Order-in-Council—"Discharged soldier" means a discharged soldier within tho meaning of the Discharged Soldiers Settlement Act, 1915, who is incapablo of efficiently working at his previous occupation by reason of disablement contracted during, his.period of military service. "Minister" means the Minister for the time being in charge of toe Discharged- Soldiers' Information Department.

Employment and Training of Dis, charged Soldiers.

2. (1) Application by ; a discharged toldicr to be. trained and employed pursuant to .this. Order : in-Council may be made to the Discharged Soldiers' Information Department in such _form as may be prescribed by the-Minister.. (2) On receipt, of any such application tho Minister, or such person as he.may direct 'in".that behalf, shall ■cause inquiries to be made, arid if it appears that the applicant is a suitable person to be trained, and that the industry or the branch or branches thereof in which employment • and training are sought by the applicant are such that the: applicant, haying regard to Iris education and liis physical condition), may; be expected to attain a reasonable ' degree of proficiency therein, (the Minister or other person as afore-' Baid may approyo the application, subject to the provisions hereinafter set torth.

(3.) Tho application -approved' as aforesaid shall thereupon be transmit l led id such inspector of factories as may be authorised by the Chief Inspector of .Factories to .receive and deal .with.. the Bamo..

3. The inspector shall forthwith' issue to the applicant a temporary perjnit to be trained arid employed in tho industry, or one or more branches thereof, at such rate of wages as he considers the applicant may be able to earn. Such temporary permit shall continue in .force for. one month from the date thereof, but may he extended by the inspector for not more than one month.

4. (1.) If at any time before the expiry of tho temporary permit by effluxion of time the applicant desires and. the employer is ; willing to continue tho training and employment, the. inspector shall, after giving the union concerned in the award or industrial agreement a reasonable' opportunity of expressing its views,' issue to the applicant a permit "to bo trained and employed - in the industry, or any branch or branches thereof, at such rate of wages as-ho thinks fit, and .for'such period as may.be agreed on between the applicant and the em--ployer. Every such permit shall be subject to the approval 'of the Minister, or of such other persons as the •Minister may authorise in that behalf.(2.) In "fixing, the, rate-of wages the inspector may prescribe a scale of increases for successive portions of the period of training,'and he may, not oftener than once in three months, on being satisfied from the progress made by the applicant that the wages should he advanced in accordance with the scale, increase the rate of wages cordingly.5. During the currency of such permit it'shall be the duty of the employer -to- teach, and the duty of ,the applicant to learn, the work of the inelustry or branch or branches thereof specified in the permit, and such duty to teach and to learn as may be prescribed in the award or industrial agreement for apprentices shall apply jto" the employer and the applicant. ■ 6. Notwithstanding anything in this Order-in-Council, if the applicant seriously misconducts himself or is repeatedly absont from his duties, the employer may notify the Minister thereof, and the Minister may, if ho thinks fit, cancel the permit. 7. In any case where an applicant has,, since his incapacity, been employed in the industry or branch thereof ito which his application relates for" not loss than one month, the provisions of this Order-in-Council as to the issue

of temporary permits shall not apply, and the inspector may, on tho approval of the application, pursuant to olause 2 hereof, forthwith issuo a permit under clause 4 hereof.

Employment of Discharged Soldiers Otherwise than for Purposes of Training.

8. Application by a discharged soldier for employment not being an application for employment and training under tho foregoing provisions of this Order-in-Council may be made by him direct to any inspector of factories who is authorised in writing by the Chief Inspector of Factorios to receive and deal with the same.

9. (1.) Tho inspector may, if he thinks fit, thereupon issue a temporary permit for the employment of the applicant, for a period of not more than one month, at such rate of wages and upon such other conditions as he thinks fit, and shall, before the expiry of such temporary permit, make inquiry as to the fitness of the applicant for such employment, and shall give to the union which is bound by tho aVnrd or industrial agreement a reasonable opportunity of expressing it* views upon th& application. (2.) He may thereupon, if he thinks fit, issue to tho applicant a permit, to be employed fn tho industry for such term, at such rate of wages, and on such conditions as lie thinks fit.