LABOUR DISPUTES ACT

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 137, 6 March 1931, Page 11

LABOUR DISPUTES ACT

Workers Under Agreement Comparatively few agreements are registered under the Labour Disputes Investigation Act,' to which reference was made in a recent statement issued by the Sheepowners’ Federation. In referring to the proposal to give the Arbitration Court power to review-existing awards by general order the federation urged that any legislation designed to remove restrictions from commerce should apply in equal proportion to workers under the L.D.I. Act. Those in New Zealand working under Labour Disputes Act agreements _ are workers at the Waikato coal mines, Hikurangi coal mines, Westland coal mines, Linton coal mines, Auckland shift engineers, freezing works, and powerhouse; Gisborne shift engineers, freezing works, and power house; marine engineers. 'N.S.S. Co., Ltd., Auckland; gas employees, Auckland; glassworkers, Auckland; -tramways, Auckland. Under an Arbitration Court award it is a breach to go on strike during the currency of an award. Under the L.D.I. Act it would be competent for an organisation of workers to go on strike on condition that certain things were complied with—namely, that a secret ballot under proper supervision had been taken and that any action taken was the decision of a majority of the workers concerned.