Bakers’ Views of Arbitration Awards

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 6789, 22 February 1932, Page 3

Bakers’ Views of Arbitration Awards

OVERHEAD COSTS INCREASED. ‘‘The recent awards relative to our industry are sufficiently unsatisfactory to necessitate our framing tho claims for the 1933 awards to fit the industry, father than endeavouring to make the industry fit the awards," stated Mr. D. E. Dustin (Wanganui) in an address to the New Zealand Master Bakers’ Conference. "Tho new bakers’ award,” he added "increases our overhead costs by reducing the hours of work allowed in any one day from ten to eight, thereby causing from two to four hours’ unnecessary overtime weekly. If we were under the Factories Act we could work 8J hours daily. Overhead costs arc also increased by abolishing the Tight to earlier starting before holidays, by abolishing the right for an earlier start without overtime to serve public trails'ports by abolishing employers’ rights tc fix starting time in towuships under 1500, by abolishing tho four hour limit of double time, and by preventing [junior labourers from being employed except where two adult labourers arc employed. The latter clause will throw up to 400 youths out of employment in Now Zealand. The Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act has served its purpose, and unless tho system is altered there will be very few employers left on deck. "It is impossible to consider an award to-day without realising that the present Jack of employment must havo somo bearing on the award. M c have, throughout- the Dominion, erroneously drifted on to a dangerous course through advocacy or endorsement oi tho policy of the Labour Department overlooking breaches of awards. An award should be observed or abolished. A five-day week, 40 or 44 hour week cannot equitably be forced on to employers. We should have the right, to employ as many unskilled workers as we can pay. The provisions ot the Factories Act are quite a sufficient safeguard for the employee. If wc arc to concede preference we should also receive the same from union members.”