STANDARD RATES OF WARES

Northern Advocate, 26 June 1937, Page 6

STANDARD RATES OF WARES

Arbitration Court To Make

Pronouncements 1

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CHRISTCHURCH, This Day,

Reverting to the principle which operated before 1931, the Arbitration Court ’ will take every opportunity of making pronouncements on standard rates, of wages for skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled labour. v . An announcement to this effect was madb by Mr Justice O’Regan at'the end; of a court hearing in Christchurch yesterday. Anomalies which, had appeared during thd hearing were discussed by Mr D. Macdonald, secretary of the terbury Employers’ Association, a't his Honour’s suggestion/

Hourly ratps of pay were without any proper basis, it was stated, in industries where restoration of the. 1931 Wage level had followed the introduction of the 40-hour week, because of the varying weekly hours, which had been worked previously. . . Old Standard Altered, “The old court standard has been completely altered, and disturbed in a way completely unfair to some classes of workers,” said Mr Macdonald- .

“Today, we find semi-skilled workers getting more than skilled workers. I consider that, as soon as the Arbitration Court can get back to a basis of skill, instead of a basis of some suppositious case or anomalies caused by legislation, so "soon will we get more settlement iif Conciliation Council.” , Court Has Had It In Mind. . “The court has had In mind for some' time the difficulties confronting the paVtibs to disputes, owing to the varying rates of wages, which have come into operation,” stated Mr Justice O’Regan. % “For this reason and because of the desirability of adopting a general principle, such as was in operation before 1931, the court proposes to take an early opportunity of making a pronouncement' on the question. 1 ’ “It does not appear practicable to deal with the matter at the present stage,, as, no doubt, the parties concerned , will desire an opportunity' of placing their views before the court. Course To Be Taken. “Accordingly, the court proposes, early in its next sitting; in Auckland, to select what appears to be representative disputes and tQ/give the parties an opportunity of dealing with such cases; with a view to enabling the court to, make a pronouncement on the general question of standard rates' of wages for various classes of labour, skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled.”