PROTECTING WORKERS

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 30, 4 August 1923, Page 9

PROTECTING WORKERS

LABOUR DEPARTMENT'S ACTIVITIES

ITEMS FROM THE REPORT

Interesting particulars of the working of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act and of the operations jf the Labour Department in the interests of. the workers are given in the annual report of the Department. •■

Out of the total of 157 disputes dealt ■with by the Commissioners and Conciliation Councils, 124 (equal to 78.98. per ebiit.) were 1 settled or substantially settled by them without recourse to the Arbitration Court. The proportion so settled in the previous year was 76.2.

(Prosecutions for breaches of Act and awards and industrial agreements numbered 707 (76 dismissed). Employers were proceeded against in 188 cases, ■while of the 619 cases against workers 482 were for breaches of the anti-stiiko provisions of the Act. .

In regard to the registration of unions, comparison with the previous year shows that there has been a decrease of five in the number of employers' unions, with a decrease in the membership of 203. The total number of workers' unions has increased by five, Bnd the total membership has decreased by 1110. - - . ■ - .

There were 49 industrial disturbances during the year, of which 41 might he classed as unimportant or trivial. Those concerned in the troubles of major magnitude were coal miners, seamen, freezing workers, and shearers. Thirteen disputes were dealt with under the Labour Disputes Investigation Act. !'To show how far the Labour Dis putes Investigation Act has been successful in settling disputes without the workers feeling the necessity of having recourse to strikes/ says the report, "it may be pointed out that of 42 disputes dealt with since the inception of this' Act in 1914—nine years ago—a settlement was reached under the procedure set out therein in every instance except one, and in this a • settlement was subsequently. reached by means of an award under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act. Only four ballots were found. necessary, three resulting in favour, of a strike and one against. Even in the cases where strikes were decided upon by ballot they did not eventuate. In two instances only was there interruption of work—viz., a ten days' strike and a 'go-slow' .policy. One of thesp occurred before the dispute was filed and investigated,: and the other was during the investigation. In both these cases the dispute was settled."

Fifty-five cases were heard and determined by the Court.-of Arbitration under the Workers' Compeneation Act, none of which calls for special mention It is generally recognised that on the ■wnolo the New Zealand Act makes better provision for the workers than those of other, countries. An investigation of the various Acts in force elsewhere is being made, however in order to see how v ■"¥■ v *'"* case > ld to ascertain ■whether any of the provisions examined «ovid .with advantage bs recommended for adoption in New Zealand. Amounts totalling £5949 Zs 4d were collected by the Department's officers on behalf of, workers;, who had been underpaid' the wages 1 prescribed by awards »nd the various Acts.

Thevo were 101 offices registered in New Zealand under the Servants' Registry Olhoes Act, being an increase of seven.; In no-ease was itfound necessary to institute a prosecution for a breach of this Act.

Fiva Hundred" aiid nine visits of iujpection were made under the Footwear Regulation Act, and stocks- of footwear were carefully examined in order to ascertain whether the provisions of the Act were being complied with. Although in a few cases it was found neceseurv to have stocks of shoddy footwear uran'led to comply with the regulations, in no cose was it necessary to take proceedings to enforce the law ■