New Zealand Employers' Federation.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 67, 28 June 1912, Page 2

New Zealand Employers' Federation.

[COPT.]

Model Award Conditions.

The attention of secretaries of Era- ■ plovers' Associations is directed to the following provisions for insertion in •wards and industrial agreements. The Federation considers it most important that a3 soon as it is known that a dispoto has arisen in any industry a copy of this circular should bo put into the hands of the leading employers engaged in the. industry, and that a copy should ' also bo furnished to the employers' asoosaors whenever they are appointed. Tho Federation wishes to point out wry earnestly that unless the policy laid down hereiu is carried out in conliootion with cvory dispute it will bo only a matter of time when every employer in the Dominion will be compromised. The working of the Conciliation Councils has proved that, owing to tho want of unanimity on tho part of the employers' assessors, different agreements not in keeping with recognised Arbitration Court precedents are being made in tho various centres, and lo many cases in the same trade. Tho result of this is that, instead of securing uniform awards throughout tho Dominion and something like finality in trade disputes, we have different conditions operating in the different industrial districts. This is to bo deplored, as it has been found that so long as tho workers have one single tiling in one centre that they have not in another, to long is there discontent and friction. The granting of even a small concession in one centre means it will bo claimed in other centres. In this connection it cannot be too strongly >irged dn employers that they can only be ; loyal to themselves by being loyal to their fellow-oinployers, and that any depar- • ture from the conditions hero laid down (which have been carefully considered in the light of 14 years' experience of the working of tho Act) must in the end prove detrimental to every omployer. It must, however, be understood that the adoption of many of the following clauses is recommended by reason of the fact of their representing settled decisions of tho Arbitration Court. It Iβ believed it would bo futile to oppoeo euch clauses in most instances, and their adoption is therefore recommended as a matter of policy. At tho same time employers should ever remember that the fewer restrictions there arc imposed the better it is for tho businesses effected, and they are urged, wherever possiblo, to endeavor to limit the number of restrictive clauses to tho lowest possible minimum, and not on any account over to agree to further restrictions than aro recommended below. WAGES. Building Trades and Manufactures.— In the building trade and trades allied to it, and also in manufacturing industries, it is essential that an hourly or daily wago should be fixed, and not a weekly wago. In all cases where hourly \y wagos aro provided, employers should insist that the engagement may be terminated without notice. Drivers, Bakers, Shop and Office As•ietants, etc. —In the case of the-sc wgrkors a weekly wago may have to be arranged for. N.B. —Whore weekly wagos arc agreed to it should bo made clear in the award or agreement that deductions can bo made for time lost through sickness or tho worker's own default. As fur as possible- the principle of "no work, no pay," should be insisted upon. Wherever possible weekly wuges should bt> avoided.

Conduct of Industrial Disputes.

(Important Information for Employers.)

EIGHT HOURS DAY. In view of tho fact that the trades unions are making a determined effort to reduce the number of working hours, it is of tho utmost importance that employers should never agree to a working week of lose than 44 hours (8 hours on fivo days of tho week and 4 hours on Saturday) for tho building trades, and 48 hours for tho manufacturing trades. N.B.—ln no case should any reduction be made in tho number of hours fixed by awards of the court or Acts of Parliament., and any attempt to have specified hours of commencement of and censing work should be strongly resisted. OVERTIME AND HOLIDAY PAY. The following should be the rates of overtime in all trades: Time and aquarter for the first two hours and timo and a-half afterwards. For work done on Christmas Day, Good Vt id,iy and Sundays, double rates may be fixed, but the rates for work done oti nil other holidays specified in the awards should not exceed time and a-hnlf. Where weekly wages are provided by an award, oaro should be takou that extra payments for holiday work aro expressed at a rato per hour, vide Wellington Drivers' Award, Book of Awards, Vol. !), page 32, clause 7. In some trn/los double time has been fixed for any work done on holidays on the ground thnt tho workers are never actually required to work on these days. Wliile that may be the ease in some trades it is not so in all, and when double timo is conceded by one class of employers it acts as a precedent for every other class. HOLIDAYS. In all new awards only the statutory holidays (New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, King's Birthday, Labor Day, Christma-s Day) should bo agreed to. Where more have been conceded previously every effort should be made to have the number reduced to thoso mentioned above. Under no circumstances, should tko number of holidays already granted bo increased. It is woll known that the unions do not ask for additional holidays for the purpose of observing them, but that they may get extra rates of pay when required to work on such days. All attempts, therefore, to increase the number of holidays should be resisted. UNDER-R ATE WORKERS. An under-rato workers' cl»"se should bo inserted in every award or agreement, as it is the only means employers have of providing for an old servant who has outlived his usefulness or has become physically incapable of earning the minimum wago. This clause is also necessary in tho caso of an apprentice who has just completed his term or apprenticeship, but who, through lack of efficiency, cannot earn the full journcyiiiiin's rate of pay. Many unions strongly object to an under-rate clause, their contention being that it has a tendency to bring down wanes. They want no provision made either for inefficient young men or for men who are physically unfit. Such a policy, if allowed to be carried out, would throw large numbers of workers into the ranks of the unemployed. It .should bo noted that Section !)8 of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, 1008, makes .the inclusion of an under-rato workers' clause compulsory whenever .1 minimum wag* , is prescribed

in any award. In all cases the following clauses, which pro in keeping with the amended Act, and" have been laid down by tho court, should bo insisted on :— (a) Any worker who, for any rca--9011, is considered incapable of earning tho minimum wage, may bo paid such lower wage as may from time to time, be fixed on the application of the worker, after due notice, to the union, by the Inspector of Awards, or such other person as the court may from timo to time appoint for that purpose, and such inspector or other person, '& so fixing such wage, shall have regard to the worker's capability, his past earnings, and such other circumstances as such inspector or other person may think fit to consider, after hearing such evidence and arguments as the union and such worker shall offer. (h) Such permit shall be for such period, not exceeding six months, as mielt inspector or other person shall determine, and after the expiration of such period shall continue in force until 14 days' notice shall have been given to such worker and his employ-

er by the secretary of the union, requiring him to have his wage again fixed in manner prescribed by this clause: Provided that in the ease of any worker whose wage is so fixed by reason of old age or permanent disability, it may be fixed for such longer period as such inspector or other person shall think fit. (c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, it shall be competent for a worker to agree with the president or secretary of tho union upon such wage without having the same so fixed. It shall be, tho duty of tho union to give notice to the Inspector of Awards of every agroemout made with a worker pursuant hereto. (d) It shall bo the duty of tho employer, before employing a worker at such lower wage, to examine tho permit or agreement by which sucli wage is fixed. Clause (c) has a'nvnys -neon inserted by tho court, but :ih it is not essential and does not meet flic approval of many employers its deletion should be asked for when such is deemed desirable. (To be continued.)