THE LABOUR MOVEMENT

Evening Star, Issue 21006, 21 January 1932, Page 15

THE LABOUR MOVEMENT

[By J.SS.]

Brief contributions on matters with reforence to the Labour Movement are invited. PROPOSED ARBITRATION AMENDMENTS. It is now fairly certain that the Government proposes to alter, at the coming session ' of Parliament, the arbitration laws so as to provide for compulsory conciliation and optional Arbitration. The proposal for optional arbitration was first mooted at the National Industrial Conference of 1928 by the employers’ delegates but received scant favour from the representatives of the unions present. Criticism of. the Government’s intentions was given by Mr J. Robinson, of the Otago Labour Council, to the writer. Under the present compulsory system no industrial dispute may be referred to the court for settlement until it has been first referred to the Conciliation Council, which, in district disputes, is composed of Ihree assessors ' representing the employers and three representing the workers, with the Conciliation' Commissioner as chairman. In disputes covering two or more industrial districts the number of assessors is increased to six for each side. The council proceeds to deal _ with the various matters in dispute with a view tp bringing about a settlement, but the matters about which no agreement can bo reached are automatically referred to the court for settlement. For instance, the council might agree on hours of work, overtime rates, preference, etc., but fail to agreg on wages. The court would then be asked to make an award embodying the provisions already agreed to, and to fix the rate of wages itself after having hoard evidence and argument from the parties. In no case is it permissible for workers or employers bound by the Act to engage in a strike or lock-out. When they cannot agree they must submit their dispute to the court for settlement. It is thus that industrial tranquillity is preserved. Mr Robinson states that undoubtedly the system proposed by the Governinent will be similar to that proposed by the Employers’ Federation to the National Industrial Conference, 1928, which was rejected by the conference. It was suggested then that, the number of assessors on each sides in district disputes be increased to four, and in dominion disputes to seven. If in any dispute in which the assessors failed to agree the dispute would be referred to thq-court only if three of the four assessors on each side in a district dispute, or five of the seven assessors on each (side in a dominion dispute, consented thereto, provided, however, that if a Conciliation Council found difficulty in arriving at an agreement the assessors on cither side might require a direction to be obtained from the Arbitration Court for the assistance of the Conciliation Council in its deliberations as to the minimum wages that should be paid to the lowest-jiaid group of workers in the industry, and the maximum ordinary hours that should be worked therein without payment of overtime. A proviso was made that if 60 per cent, of the members of the union concerned in the dispute are females, reference to the court would automatically follow the failure of the Conciliation Council to agree. Provision was made for the setting up of disputes committees, and it was also stipulated that every agreement should contain a provision for the working of piecework. He continues: “It will be seen from this that with 52,000 workers registered as unemployed optional arbitration vir-tually-means the abolition of arbitration, and the workers would he forced either to accept any terms the employers cared to offer or strike for better. This must be so, because" there will be no independent authority, to which the dispute could he referred for settlement. The proposals mean that the Government believes that* the thousands of unemployed, in order to secure the jobs of those in employment, would assist to break any strike that might occur in any industry. In effect it is implied that compulsory arbitration was in the first place in nded only to avert strikes that might have succeeded, but’ that as no strike could succeed now ’arbitration was not required any longer. Although it has been suggested that the court could bo asked for a direction as to the minimum .wages that should be paid to the lowest paid group of workers in the industry, it has been neither suggested nor implied that the court’s direction when given would have to be a opted by the'parties,. A prominent Minister of the present Cabinet' was rep rted sonic -.time ago as saying that Gio time to reduce wages was when the labour market was overstocked as at present. He was referring to optional arbitration as the moans by which the Government proposed to bring about the reduction. Optional arbitration, viewed from the standpoint of the Minister, apparently means that Arbitration Court awards, because they ensure a certain standard of living for the workers coming within their scope, will ultimately be abolished. It is said that awards are not sufficiently flexible, and that optional arbitration will impart more elasticity to them. Elasticity, I am afraid, signifies the undermining of apprentice restrictions, the employment of boy in preference to adult labour, interference with overtime r.gnlations, extension of night work, and, perhaps, preference to non-unionists.” * * * * FARMERS’ CHIEF BURDEN. “The cry of the farmer is for a reduction in interest charges. That is the root of the problem,” stated the manager of a large- stock and station agency to a Christchurch ‘Times’ reporter. He turned to a heavy ido of correspondence and let the letters fall in a shower from his hand. “These,” he said, “ are from farmers in all parts of Canterbury. Every one of them is a request for a reduction in interest. The farmer does not want ‘ reduced wages for his men, nor adjustments'in the hours and conditions of labour. That won’t help him much. His real assistance will come from a reduction in" the standing charges that have to bo met,-revaluation of his land, and reduced rates of interest. “The lower prices, have come to stay. The capital value of the land on the basis of the higher prices of production has vanished. It does not exist. There must lie revaluation to avoid the painful process of men being forced off the land. Mortgagees have not yet realised that they hold security over capital that has' evaporated. Fallen commodity prices have made it_ impossible for the present rates of interest to bo met. That fact stands out, and must bo faced. The leaders of the country must square up to the position.” These views wore endorsed in the 'Public Trust Office, where it was prophesied that 1932 would be a year of big changes, * # » * SHEARING INDUSTRY WORKERS. In a printed article dealing with the affairs of the Now Zealand Worker.:' Union, Air A. Cook, general secretary,

makes the following statement:— The 1931-32 .shearing season is fast 'hawing to a close in the North Island, while the Scuth Island will bo shearing for some considerable time to come. A number of sheds both in Canterbury, Otago, and Southland have delayed their shearing until very late. Quite a large number of stations did not commence before the New Year. Union enrolments in the sheds, with the exception of the Maori districts, have fallen considerably’ in comparison with previous years This is largely accounted for through a large number of shearers and shod hands being une;ii|»!oyed during the winter months, consequently they commenced shearing in many eases heavily in debt, and that excuse has been used for not joining their union. By neglecting to_ join their union the workers are making a mistake.

“ Great credit ;s due to the Maori shearers and shed hands _ throughout the Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne districts. In those districts 1,200 workers have joined the New Zealand Workers’ Union this season. The Maori members arc at a great disadvantage (compared with the pakchas) in obtaining employment outside the shearing industry, as they arc not employed, with few exceptions, in harvesting, threshing, on Public Works, etc., therefore great credit is due to them for the manner in which they rallv to the support of their organisation. They fully realise the great amount of good the union has done for them. ” I would ask all shearing industry workers to carefully consider what their position would have been during the past two shearing seasons had there been no union covering the industry. It ought to be that the price of shearing would have been down to 15s per hundred, while the rates for shed hands would have been Gd to fld per hour.”

AGAINST FURTHER WAGE CUTS. 11 Further limitation of the spending power of the people must be avoided,” stated a company manager to a ‘ Christchurch Times ’ reporter. The manager reviewed tho position from the point of view of the secondary industries. “ 1 feel sure that one of the ’first steps of the new Government will be directed towards the Arbitration Court. Wages in present’ well established industries should not be touched, but elasticity should be provided to enable the foundation 'of new industries that will absorb labour. The selection of the personnel of a commission to investigate this matter should be made without thought of political colour. The effects of political prejudice are still apparent in the work of some of the commissions previously appointed in this country. A search should be made for the free thinkers at the head of industry, and lot them say what is to be done. “ Tho building industry is stable, and. if the people could be given the cbnfidence that cornfc of security of employment, the trade and all its allied trades would immediately become busy.” . ■' Several prominent representatives pi various branches of industry and business were asked, in the’ course of an interview, to indicate in precise terms where existing awards of the Court ofArbitration might be modified. In each case the an:, vor was that it was a matter for thorough investigation and consideration by a qualified commission. None of the representatives "approached cared to state a case for modification of conditions of work or wages, as now established. Although helpful improve'ments to awards were not obvious they felt that patient examination and exploration of the whole field of production and industry would reveal weaknesses which could be strengthened by judicious amendment. All were unanimous in that an equitable wage ‘"uularcl had been achieved when the 10 per cent, reduction in award rates was effected last winter. One employer of a large staff closed the interview with tho observation that ho could not, in clear conscience, go to his men, who were pushing barrows and lumping heavy loads, and ask them to accept a further "’age cut.