TWO-LOOM WEAVERS

Evening Star, Issue 25496, 29 May 1945, Page 8

TWO-LOOM WEAVERS

DEDUCTION OF PAY ILLEGAL <l\A.) CHRiSTCHURCH, May 28. A decision in favour of the workers in the Kaiapoi weavers' dispute has been given ,by the chairman of the Emergency Disputes Committee, Mr A. B. Rigg, who has ruled that payment to two-loom employees shall continue at the rate which came into for.ce on July 7, 1941. The Disputes Committee, which was set up under the Strike and Lockout Emergency Regulations. 1939, considered the case last Wednesday and as the parties could not agree it became the responsibility of the '•liairman, Mr Rigg, who is the Conciliation Commissioner, to give his decision.

Tn his decision, Mr Rigg, referring to the origin of the dispute, cxpiuineu that it related to the deduction some tune in December last by the Kaiapoi Woollen Company under clause 7 (H) ot' the award, of 15 per cent, from the earnings of the weavers operating two looms. That deduction had not been mado between July'7. 1941, and at the time first mentioned, but was made be forts July 7, 1941. at which date shiftwork was' instituted to enable additional production to be obtained for war purposes. In December. 1944. shift work in the weaving department ceased and the lo per cent, deduction was resumed by the company. " After full consideration I have come to the conclusion that the alteration without the workers' consent of the contracts of service under which tliev have been working since July, 1941, is not in accordance with the law. As 1 see it, a contract of service may be altered only with the concurrence of the worker, or may be terminated in accordance with the law and a fresh contract entered into. In connection with the question of terminating a contract of service, I may say that such a step' would no doubt he subject to the requirements of the Industrial Man-power Emergency Regulations. My decision, therefore, is that the payment to the weavers concerned in this dispute shall be continued at the rate which commenced to operate on July 7. 1041."