REVIEW OF WAGES

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 189, 8 May 1931, Page 11

REVIEW OF WAGES

Application to Court

CASE NEXT TUESDAY

Preparation of Data

The New Zealand Employers’ Federation and Labour organisations are well advanced with the preparation of their respective cases for presentation to the Arbitration Court, when it sits at Wellington on Tuesday next to hear the application for a general order reducing wages paid under awards and industrial agreements. The hearing of the application and the subsequent arguments, both for and against, are expected to take fully a week, and probably longer. It is anticipated that any reduction the_ Court decides to make will come into force at the beginning of next month.

Power to make an order for a reduction of wages was given the Arbitration Court in the Finance Act No. 1, which was passed during the emergency session of Parliament and became law on April 16. In exercising this power the court is to take into consideration the economic and financial conditions effecting trade and industry in New Zealand.

If these conditions so affect any particular trade or industry as to warrant the exclusion of the workers or a section of the workers engaged therein, the court may exclude them from the order or any subsequent order. Similar action may be taken by the court if it is satisfied that the special provisions of any awards or industrial agreements warrant the exclusion of workers under them.

Filing of Application.

After the empowering legislation had been passed an application was filed by the New Zealand Employers’ Federation for an o’rder to adjust the rates of remuneration paid under awards and industrial agreements. Since then organisations representing all sections of employers, and unions and combinations of unions representing the workers, have been busy preparing data and other material for submission to the court in support of their respective cases. The secretary of the Employers’ Federation, Mr. T. O. Bishop, will first present the ease for the employers. Whether he will have the assistance of any other advocates has not yet been decided. A case is being prepared in opposition to the employers’ application by the New Zealand Trades and Labour Councils’ Federation, on whose behalf Mr. J. McCombs, M.P. for Lyttelton, and Mr. W. T. Young, secretary of the Woollen Mills Employees’ Union of Wellington, will appear. ‘ ... . Separate representations will be maqe to the court in opposition to any cut in the carpenters’ award wages by Mr. T. Bloodworth, of Auckland, he having been chosen as an advocate by the National Association of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners. The carpenters claim that it is specifically laid down that the current award covering their wages and conditions of employment does not expire until April 21, 1932, and that no alteration should be made before that date. Mr. C. H. Chapman, M.P., has been appointed advocate by the New Zealand Typographical Association ,to contest any proposed reduction of wages affecting the membefs of the association. No advocate to take the case on behalf of the Alliance of Labour has yet been announced, but it is understood that a meeting was held in Wellington last evening to finalise this question and other details connected with the case.

, No Preliminary Statement.

In Labour circles the opinion is held that the court should make a statement as to its intentions with regard to possible wage reductions so that the parties may know what they have to meet when the case comes on for hearing. It is pointed out-that this course was taken by the court some years ago when the cost-of-living bonus was due for adjustment. On the present occasion, however, the court does not propose to give the parties any such lead, and will make its decision on the arguments presented. After the employers’ side has been heard it is probable that the Labour advocates will ask for an adjournment of the court for a day or so in order that-the arguments advanced by the employers may be considered from the workers’ viewpoint. One autfibrity has estimated that the saving brought about by a ten per cent, cut in both Public Service wages and those of employees under awards and industrial agreements will amount to £10.500.000.