INDUSTRIAL LAWS

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 158, 1 April 1937, Page 12

INDUSTRIAL LAWS

Labour Party Defines Attitude Legality of Strikes and Basic Wage ARBITRATION COURT The official attitude of the New Zealand Labour Party toward compulsory arbitration, the present personnel of the Court ol Arbitration the legality of strikes, ami the basic, wage was declared by the annual conference of the party last night. A special committee reported that it had considered between 70 and 80 remits from industrial organisations and branches of the party. Seventeen of these dealt with the Industrial Conciliation aud Arbitration Act. The committee expressed the opinion that it was not advisable at present to recommend to the Government the abolition of compulsory arbitration iu New Zealand. It recommended, however, that, (lie administration of Hie Trade Unions Act be brought under the control of the Minister of Labour, and i hat the Government amend the Labour Disputes Investigation Act so as to enable this «\ct to be utilised in the settlement of ordinary industrial disputes and to give power to the assessors to add parties to lite disputes.

Concerning the personnel of the Court of Arbitration, about which there had been several remits, the committee reported that it had no recommendation to make. Legality of Strikes. “Under the Labour Disputes Investigation Act a union may legally strike when it is negotiating for an industrial agreement after a ballot of the workers has teen taken by the registrar of industrial unions,” stated the committee in referring to remits on the legality of strikes.

"The committee is of the opinion, however, that when a union is registered under the I.C. and A. Act and applies for an award or agreement, once that agreement, is made or award given by the Court of Arbitration some penalty* must be maintained to compel the employers and workers to observe its terms. If we were to abolish all penalties under a system of compulsory arbitration, it would no doubt apply to the employers of labour as well as to the workers, and there would be no means by which we could compel the parties to observe the terms of an award or an industrial agreement. Basic Wage Decision. “Numbers of remits were forwarded expressing dissatisfaction with the basic wage awarded by the Court of Arbitration. The committee agrees Hull the basic wage awarded is most unsatisfactory. We consider, however, that sufficient, data is not available to ascertain with any degree of accuracy the wage that would bo necessary to maintain a family of .five people iu a fair standard of life. “We therefore rci'ommend to the Government that, as the Court of Arbitration is at present very far behind with its work, and would be further delayed by taking evidence in connection with the basic wage argument, the Department of Labour be asked to collect information concerning the prices of commodities necessary Io maintain a family, and that this information be niqde available at any time when the question of Hie basic wage is being considered by the Court of Arbitration.

“Pecuniary Gain” (Utilise.

Reporting on remits calling for the elimination of the “pecuniary gain” clause of the I.C. ami A. Act, the commit tee said that the Minister of Labour, Hon. H. T. Armstrong, had advised that it was his intention to bring under the scope of the I.C. aud A. Act several classes of workers who up to the present time had been deprived of rhe benefits of this legislation. The classes of workers suggested were insurance canvassers, commission agents, club employees, so-called contractors who o|X i rated taxis for hire, and other contractors where the nature of their contract was substantially one involving the personal services of the contra ctor.

The committee recommended that this legislation be enacted as early as possible, and further recommended to the Government that provision be made in .some Act of Parliament fixing wages, conditions of employment aud holiday payments for domestic service and also for workers employed iu public and private institutions.

The committee recommended that the Government be asked to give consideration to the question of making legislative provision for the payment for annual holidays and statutory holidays to all workers, and where it is considered that payment for annual holidays or payment for statutory holidays was impracticable owing to the very casual nature of lhe employment or the short duration of jobs, provision be made for the payment of a higher hourly or daily wage to compensate these workers tor payment for holidays. The commit tee's recommendations were adopted.