Arbitration Amendment

Evening Star, Issue 21037, 26 February 1932, Page 8

Arbitration Amendment

The Bill Introduced I Bargaining Without Court in Background Power to Review Existing Awards Preference and Apprentice Issues Untouched [From Our Paruaukktakt Rbfortbr.] t WELLINGTON, February 26. Drastic alterations to. the Arbitration system of New Zealand are proposed in the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill introduced in the House of Representatives by GovernorGeneral’s Message this morning. The outstanding features qre provision for tho principle of compulsory conciliation and voluntary arbitration, and the taking of power to deal with existing awards. dThe constitution of the court is not interfered with, and no alteration is made to tho preference to unionists provisions. The apprentice question is not dealt with. For some time it has been contended that the restrictive conditions governing many of the Arbitration Court awards have militated seriously against employment, and therefore have been a serious factor in tho present unemployment problem. " The amendment proposes to make it possible for employers and employees to get together in the conciliation councils and settle their differences to mutual advantage, without reference to the Arbitration Court. Reference to the court will be permitted only by. mutual agreement between tho parties to the dispute. It is proposed, also, under certain conditions, to bring existing awayds under review in accordance with the terms of the Bill, and to take power by Order in Council to exempt certain industries', if considered necessary, from the operations of the Act. The Bill provides further for employers entering into agreements with their employees to work on a piece-rate basis.

FOSTERING GLASS WAR

ployers. The Government should not imagine that the spirit of the workers in New Zealand was broken. If driven to desperation, they would fight. The Government would be guilty of fostering and creating a class war of the worst possible description. Mr Lee said that, in his opinion, the whole object of the Bill was to bring about a reduction of wages, aijd consequently a reduction of consumer capital. The country was already undergoing increased suffering as the result of the previous reduction of consumer capital. He believed the passage of the Bill would be the death blow to the State Advances Department. The workers would no longer be able to hope to carry opt their obligations, and the security would fall back on the State. It would be the same with all other securities.

LABOUR'S EARLY ATTACK "SLAVE AND SERF CONDITIONS" Labour’s reception of the Arbitration Act amendment showed that it would bo bitterly fought. Before the House knew more than the title of the measure Mr Fraser opened up a debate which developed obviously on obstructive lines, Opposition speakers declining Government members’ invitation to await explanations of the Bill, and describing it as a unique instance of class legislation of the most disquieting nature. Mr Fraser declared that it was inspired by stupidity and a desire to hoodwink the farmers as a sop to them. The Prime Minister: “ Had you not better wait to get the Bill?” Mr Fraser retorted that when the closure was introduced and the Prime Minister’s statement on the subject was recalled it was sufficient to know what was proposed. If he could not persuade Mr Forbes to see his viewpoint he might get him to refer it to another commission, because another little commission would not do any harm. (Laughter.) He contended that the Arbitration Court, with the judge, had been fair. In fact, most of the objections to its decision came from the workers. Now this was to be destroyed. “ There is to bo no other course for the workers than to submit or strike. Any class with independence, if driven to desperation, will strike rather than accept slave and serf conditions. This country will commence an era of industrial turmoil which will set it back further than ever. Don’t let the Government imagine that the spirit of the workers is broken.” Mr Poison: These are threats.;

Mr Parry alleged that the measure had been introduced because the bargaining power of the workers had been weakened as the result of unemployment. The Government would not have dared to introduce the Bill if there were no unemployment in New Zealand. Mr Sullivan said when one considered what an industrial upheaval would mean at the present time, it was perfectly apparent that no responsible Government should bring down a measure of this kind. He declared that the passage of the Bill would provoke the very conditions from winch riot and revolution were likely to develop.

Mr M'Combs asserted that the Liberals in the present Government had out-Toried the greatest Tory that New Zealand had ever seen. Representatives of the wholesalers, retailers, and manufacturers had informed the Interparty Committee that the 10 per cent, reduction in wages had been of no value to them. On the contrary, by reducing the workers’ purchasing power, it had injured their business. A further wage reduction, Mr M'Combs said, would create more disastrous results.

Mr Coleman made his maiden speech in opposing the Bill. He said it was at a time like the present when an arbitration system was given the op,portunity to be of material benefit. Ho had frequently been confronted by the statement from the employers’ representatives in Conciliation Council proceedings that they were instructed not to discuss certain questions. Under the existing system the workers in such circumstances had recourse to the Arbitration Court, but if the system of voluntary arbitration were introduced they would no longer have that opportunity. He believed that the reason there had been so many settlements in the Conciliation Council in the past was because both parties knew, in the event of failure to agree, that they would have to accept the judgment of the court.

Mr Fraser: “These are truths, and they are threats if the hon. gentleman takes them so. If his policy dominated this country I would strike and fight him td the last ditch.”.

BITTER STRUGGLE CERTAIN

LABOUR CONTINUES ATTACK [Pjsr United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, February 26. Mr Fraser said that if all the rumours relating to this measure were correct, it was apparent that the Government intended to destroy the whole fabric of the arbitration system. Apparently the proposal was that there should be no application to the Arbitration Court for settlement of a dispute unless there was general agreement among the parties. The workers would be left at the mercy of the em-

Another maiden speech was made by Mr Richards, who said he could only conclude that the Bill was designed to lower the workers’ standard of living. This would have a disastrous effect on the commercial community, as well as causing suffering among the workers. Labour opposition to the introduction of the Bill was still being continued when the House adjourned at 1 p.m.