Proceedings for New Awards

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 80, 3 April 1941, Page 6

Proceedings for New Awards

Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, April 2. A reply to the criticism levelled at unions for taking frequent proceedings for new awards was made by Mr. J. Miller, the employees’ advocate, when the case affecting workers in wool, grain, hide and manure stores was re sumed in the Arbitration Court. The previous day the employers’ advocate, Mr. W. E. Anderson, secretary to the Auckland Provincial Employers’ Association, had protested against the practice of unions of automatically applying for new awards on the expiry of the old, even although the conditions of employment had not changed, and had submitted that the Court should lay down a policy in the matter. On behalf of the New Zealand Federated Storemen and Packers’ and Warehouse Employees’ Union, Mr. Miller was seeking a new award to cover workers in stores throughout New Zealand, with the exception of Canterbury. Mr. Justice Tyndall presided. • Mr. Miller said that, in spite of what Mr. Justice Sim had said in 1909, as quoted by Mr. Anderson, the award covering wool, grain, hide and manure store workers had been reviewed 11 times since 1919, and the rates of pay had been varied from Is 6d to the pre Bent level. Similar reviews had been made of all other awards. Under both the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act and the Labour Disputes Investigation Act, provision was made for workers to have their wages reviewed from time to time, he added. "I take it that, if the legislature desires that workers should not use the facilities provided, then some change should be made in these Acts, as wa.done in 1932, when access to the Court was denied," he said. "While the facilities are there, workers and era ployers are bound to use them." Mr. Miller said the union in the present case had set out to ask lor a 40hour week of five days, but that had not been proceeded with, as it was tea lised that wool was a commodity necessary for the war effort, and that the hours in some industries had already been varied by an order giving the industries the right to work men extra hours at ordinary rates of pay. The hearing of evidence was concluded and the Court reserved its decision.