LABOUR NOTES.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 73, 27 March 1909, Page 12

LABOUR NOTES.

(By Unionist.) ATTITUDE OF AUCKLAND UNIONS. It will be about the second week in j April before the Arbitration Court sits in Auckland. Till then, it appears that matters in connection with the settlement of industrial disputes in the northern district will remain at a standstill. So far, three disputes have been filed with the registrar. In one of them, the Auckland Hotel Employees' Union case, no progress has been made since the adjournment of the hearing by the Industrial Commissioner consequent upon the attitude the union, took ab the initial proceedings. The two latter disputes are in reference to the Butchers' and General Labourers' Unions. As demanded by the new Act, both these later disputes must and will, in the first instance, be referred to the Industrial Commissioner. Apparently both the unions concerned intend to carry out the policy suggested by the northern Trades Council, and after formally approaching the commissioner, will eventually withdraw their assessors, leaving the Federal Council without one of its chief component parts. Such was the action taken by the union first in the field after the commencement of the new &ystem and the appointment of Mr. Harle Giles as Industrial Commissioner. The action then taken has since been fully discussed at a meeting of the Auckland Labour Council, with the result that the attitude of tho union and its secretary, Mr. T. Long, who is also president of the council, was further endorsed by a majority resolution of the meeting. ! The position in the Hotel Employees' Union case is that something akin to a deadlock has been created. While the Act provides for the replacement of assessors whose positions are rendered vacant by death, resignation, or other causes, there is a doubt as to whether it can be construed so as to meet the contingency which has arisen in this case — the withdrawal by one of the parties of its assessors. The general opinion in Wellington Labour 'circles is, that although thirtysix of the Auckland onions have declared their determination to refuse to recognise Mr. Giles in his official capacity, their attitude will only retard the settlement of their particular industrial disputes. It is believed that the withdrawal by the union of its assessors simply places it in a position of noncompliance with the mandatory formula of the Act, and in effect throws it "out of court." Even though the claimant union approaches the Arbitration Court later — it seems impossible ftor it to do so without the consent of the registrar — it is argued here that the president of the court will immediately treat the dispute as not being properly before him, and order the union to elect fresh assessors and proceed with the hearing ' of the case oefore the commissioner. It is not expected, however, that any obstacle will be placed in the way of the union in getting bhe judgmenb of the courb on the matter. The firm determination of the Auckland unions on the question is generally recognised, and in official quarters there is a desire to have the position of parties clearly defined and the present unsatisfactory state of tie industrial affairs in the northern dretrict remedied. THE ASPECT IN OTHER CENTRES. In the Wellington and Canterbury industrial districts quite a different attitude is being adopted by the unions concerned, and the respective commissioners, Messrs. Hally and Triggs, are having an easy passage compared with that of their northern colleague. Ib is agreed here and in Christchurch, that both the system and the commissioners should be given a fair brial. In Dunedin, allowing that Mr. Triggs exercises jurisdiction over that district, there is very little prospect of his being requisibioned to visib bhe locality iv the capacity of conciliator. Because of a reasonable understanding between the representatives of the disputants, matters are adjusted in one or two conferences without calling into operation the formalities of the new Act. The last nine disputes in Dunedin have been settled by agreements between the parties, and with such an oxhibifcion of equity and conciliation there is no need for either council or ! commissioner The system now 7 followed by Dunedin bears out the opinion of the Trade Councils conference. It was urged by the conference that the old Act gave ample opportunity for amicable arrangemenbs, and that if either &ide took au obstinate stand, neither council, commissioner, nor anybody else could settle the dispute down for investigation. A dispute defying adjustment under the spirit now obtaining in Dunedin wilJ go to the Arbitration Court irrespective of any of the conciliation clauses in tho new Act. Already three cases have been disposed of by the Wellington Commissioner, Mr. Hally. In two, the Wanganui gas stokers' and the Napier drivers' disputes, be succeeded in fully settling all questions at variance. In the third case, the grocers' dispute, a settlement was effected; on all bub two points. This augurs well for the work of the new system ip this district. There are now three other disputes either awaiting or receiving the attention of Mr. Hally. The carpenters', saddlers', and pastrycooks' unions have each a reference filed. The settlement of these cases will be a still better test of tho industrial councils. In the saddlers' case, for instance, the questions in dispute, though legally confined to Wellington, are admittedly in dispute for the whole of the trade in both Islands. One drawback to the commissioner is the fact that tho employers in all cases now seek to have the agreements arrived ab on the councils made into an award by the Arbitration Court. This forces the commissioner to technically report to the court that no full settlemenb has been brought about, and entails consequent delays in the legal establishment of the conditions agreed to by the parties on the council. The, new Act makes <m indaistxia.l agreement equally binding and as effective as an award of the court, but an agreement ignores the commissioner and his work. On the other hand, before the court can make an award in a dispute not fully settled by the council, the prescribed j month must elapse before the case goes automatically to the court. Mr. Triggs was unable to report a settlement l n the first case before an industrial council in +he Canterbury district. The spirit of conciliation was lacking somewhere, and the dispute in question, the bootmakers' case, will be adjudicated upon by the Arbitration, Court. It is recognised, however, that the items in this dispute were also of importance to tho whole- country, and whatever the award is in May next it will afterwards be of general application to all workers in the trade in New Zealand. One or two other men weio suggested 1 in preference to Mr. Triggs by certain of the Ohristchurch unions, but since his appointment he has on many occasions been promised the hearty co-operation of the district's xmions. It will not be through tradeunion obstinacy if Mr. Triggs is unsuccessful in Christchurch. Wages langing from Is 3d to Is 6dper hour arc asked' for by tho Auckland General Labourers' Union in the refer- i enco .just filed' with tho registrar..