ARBITRATION LAW

Northern Advocate, 27 October 1932, Page 5

ARBITRATION LAW

ANOTHER AMENDING RILL

BALLOT AMONG EMPLOYEES

FIRST READING GRANTED

(Per Press Association. —Copyright.) WELLINGTON, This Day.

Introducing the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment. Bill (No. '•’>) in the House yesterday, Mr R. MeKeen (Labour, Wellington South) said the object of the measure was to meet a number of anomalies which had arisen as a result ot the passing of last, session’s Act,

The position at present, was that on the parties failing to reach an agreement and declining to refer the matter to the Court, the award became cancelled. The bill provided that before any award could be cancelled a ballot should be taken among employers to determine whether they desired the cancellation to take place. Air MeKeen said in some instances when parties had failed to reach an agreement and declined to refer the matter to the Arbitration Court, the old award had been revived. The existing law left it in the hands of a few employers to prevent an agreement being reached, whereas it was likely that the majority of employers were desirous of settlement. He instanced the case of the Wellington butchers, stating that immediately after the failure to arrive at an agreement, 75 per cent of the employers had signed a petition under which they had revived the old award.

Mr S. G. Smith (Government, New Plymouth): “Were not the signatures obtained under pressure!"

Mr McKeen: “No." Mr Smith: “Were not some of them threatened with boycotts'?" Mr McKeen: “Oh, no."

sdr McKeen said that the position he had outlined had caused disaffection among some employers, and he considered if his amendment was accepted it -would be possible to bring about a more satisfactory situation. He hoped the Minister would take the matter up. The bill was read a first time.