ARBITRATION COURT

Hokitika Guardian, 4 October 1929, Page 1

ARBITRATION COURT

THE LATEST AWARD. (Bv Telegraph—Press Association). DUNEDIN, October 3. At the monthly meeting of the Otago Labour Council, held this evening considerable criticism was levelled at the lArbiiltraltion Gouirt’s pronouncer inent, in which, it was stated, the Court had repudiated the basis which, .it had formerly adopted, namely, that a family for the purposes of wages taxation meant a man, his wife, and two children.

After a lengthy discussion, the following resolutions were passed : “That this Council views with grave concern the ease with which the Court of Arbitration,, in order to further the interests of employerdom, as . opposed to those of the workers, has' repudiated the foundation of basic wage fixation, on which it has worked for many years. The Court has thus shown itself to be partial, inconsistent and arbitrary, and we strongly recommend the National Council of the N.Z. Alliance, of Labour to request that the Government shall require the Court of Arbitration to state clearly and definitely upon what principles or ba'sis it has created the present inadequate basic wage. “Further, that in view ,of the recent 'pronouncement of the Court of Arbitration -on the basic wage, this Council is of the opinion that the time is ripe for the workers to realise that the only basis on which their wages and conditions can be improved and maintained is by organising along more definite industrial union and class lines, and that all Unions be called upon to urge the development of the class consciousness of the whole working class, with a view to winning better conditions on the basis of their economic strength.”