LABOUR CONDITIONS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 17 June 1932, Page 3

LABOUR CONDITIONS

STABILISATION OF CURRENCY

WAGE-FIXING METHODS VALUE OF ('ONFILIATION INTERESTS OF THE FARMER “Ah hii endeavour in being nuulc to misrepresent the aineiHlincnt made to the Arbitration Ael last session as being the virtual abolition ol the arbitration system, it is well that the_ position should be dearly explained, said Mr Albert Spencer, president of the Auckland Employers’ Association when discussing the industrial situation. This was the more necessary, he said, as those working for their own ends were positively stating that the workers had no redress now that compulsory arbitration had been abolished. Nothing could be further from the truth, as the Court still remained to exercise its functions as originally intended. “The only change made,” said Air Spencer, "is to ensure that conciliation, which was the main feature originally of tins industrial legislation, shall be given every chance . ft is worth noting that the very first dispute dealt with under t!ie amended regulations resulted in a complete and amicable settlement. Mr P Hally, the Conciliation Commissioner, stated he did not anticipate that the recent amendment would produce any problems which could not be overcome in dealing with disputes that coine before the Court.

NEED OF AGREEMENT “Without the spirit of conciliation there is bound to be trouble. This is not removed, but merely suppressed by anv award of the Court which is not endorsed by both sides —the employers and the workers. These are the parties directly making the contract and if they are not in agreement, then the employer ceases to employ and the worker ceases to work. “The Conciliation Boards were provided for in the industrial legislation of 1898 and it was only in 1908 that the Conciliation Councils were established in their present form. While excellent work has been clone by the Conciliation Commissioners, the tendency of late years has been to refer the question oi hours of work and wages to the Court, and the Court as a wage-fixing tribunal has proved a failure. Some of the largest labour organisations will have nothing to do with it, preferring tot make agreements directly with the employers. “Obviously, the common sense method is, therefore, to force employers and workers to get together and decide, what the employers can pay and wlmt the workers are prepared to accept. There is always the Arbitration Court as a Court of Appeal to fall back on. It is true that either side can prevent this being clone, but if as a consequence a strike or lock-out occurs, the onus of bringing this about will rest primarily on the side which refused arbitration.

EFFECTS OF A STRIKE “Unless very good reasons can be shown, therefore, for such refusal, il would be a tactical blunder to alienate public sympathy at (he outset. Employers have protested against the provision that in the event of no agreement br-ing arrived at, the Labour Disputes Act can bo made use of, which legalises a strike. In practice it has always bceni found that a strike involves more than the right of the individual to refuse to work under certain wages or conditions. No exception could be (alien to that, but the sequel in nearly all cases is the endeavour Lo prevent others from working uridet these conditions even if they wish to do so, and to involve other industries in which there is no dispute. Therefore, to legalise a strike is to legalise something which results in coercion and very often penalises the public and leads to distress and disaster. “It, is to he noted that a section of the farmers lias been misled into believing that their interests and those of ‘labour’ are identical. This is the more extraordinary, as the farmers were the most insistent that the industrial legislation must he revised, and were apparently almost unanimously of opinion that the Arbitration Court should be abolished altogether. No one should he able to realise more clearly Ilian the farmer that the artificial fixing of the wage rale aL a level above the. actual earning power of the worker must lead to disaster.

“The complaint ol tho farmer Ims been the difference, in wages paid in an industry working under perhaps halloadozen different awards, each with its restrictions. They would hesitate about clbelaririg ihai their interests were identical with those of the workers in the towns who are now threatening trouble because they are faced with illio possibility of some practical auietidmonis being made in Hie existing conditions which have led, in a great measure, lo the present depression in industry, and consequent unemployment. I’ossibly, however, the farmers mean that their interests are identical with organised labour so far as the stabilisation of currency is concerned. “in this, respect the interests of all classes of the community are identical, and the problem will have lo be solved before confidence and credit can he restored and prosperity re-established. Hence the vital importance of the Ottawa Conference, hut the idea that New Zealand or any oilier industrial unit of the Empire can. by merely issuing paper and declaring it currency, bring about an era of prosperity, is a fallacy,which even the unintelligent Communist of Russia must have realised. The paper roubles which (heir Slate Hank issues to pay wages and to pay for material williin the country, are now admitted lo lie practically worthless. The oflicial rate of exchange was fixed at one rouble to two shillings and one halfpenny of English money, and if was made illegal to give more than a rouble for one English florin, either at the frontier or inside Russia, yet illicit dealers, it, is stated, were prepared to give ICO paper roubles for a one-pound note. If a paper currency is to lie established it must be. under conditions which will establish parity or a reasonable rale of exchange within tile British Empire at. least. "This is a question, however, which should he. entirely dissociated from political propaganda, and has no hearing on the point at issue between employers and workers in which the farmers have apparently been approached to lake sides.” ,