CLAIMS FOR FULL EXEMPTION

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 281, 22 August 1940, Page 8

CLAIMS FOR FULL EXEMPTION

Recent Wage Increase

APPLICATIONS TO COURT OF ARBITRATION

Applications for complete exemption from the General Order to increase wages have 'been filed in 'the Court of Arbitration. The awards concerned and the grounds on which the applications have been made, are: New Zealand Motor and Horse Drivers’ Award (workers covered by Bart 2) : (1) That the. employers of such workers are precluded from passing on any portion of the increase in overhead effected iby the order. (2) That in respect of workers employed for 44 hours a week the award granted an increase in wages to such workers of 5 per cent, less than three months ago and there has been no increase in the cost of living or any other circumstances in that period to justify the granting of any further increase. New Zealand Taxi Drivers’ Award: (1) That the award was made less than three months ago and there is no justification for increasing the wages then fixed by the. Court because (a) the wages are fair, taking into account the wages then being paid, ■the nature of the work, the amount of idle time, and the effect of unregulated competition; and (b) any increase in the. wages will seriously prejudice the future of the industry. (2) That the financial position of the industry renders it impossible to carry any further increases in overhead without increases in price, which are not practicable. Northern Taranaki, Wellington, Nelson, Westland and Canterbury Lime Workers’ Award: (1) That the product of the industry is sold at a fixed price, which cannot be increased without the permission of the Price Investigation Tribunal; (2) that an increase in price is undesirable because it cannot be passed on except to the primary producer; (3) that the increases embodied in the award are so high that they already constitute an unfair burden on the industry; (4) that the evidence given at the hearing was insufficient to justify even the increases granted. by the Court and does not justify any further addition to overhead; (5) that under the award employers have had to restrict their methods of working and consequently reduce their production at a time when an increase in the production of lime is vitally necessary. Northern Taranaki, Westland, Canterbury and Otago, and Southland Bakers and Pastrycooks and their Labourers’ Award, and including their clerical workers except Canterbury: That, by reason of the economic and financial conditions affecting the industry, the imposition of the 5 per cent, bonus constitutes an unfair 'burden and a hardship on the employers. New Zealand Local Bodies (Rural Section) Labourers’ Award: (1) That the award granted substantial increases in wages and improvements in conditions to the workers covered by it notwithstanding that there had been no alteration in the conditions of work or the circumstances of the local bodies since the making of the previous award. (2) That: the local bodies ‘bound by the award are in rural areas and any increases in overhead can only be passed on at the expense of the primary producer. (3) That since the making of the award there lias been nothing to justify any further increases in wages.