LABOUR LAWS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 29 November 1938, Page 10

LABOUR LAWS

.TIME FOR OVERHAUL MINISTER S PROPOSAL DISCIPLINE IN UNIONS Iliuited Press Association! AUCKLAND. 28th November. Obsolete and anomalous provisions of the industrial law will be reviewed in a proposal to consolidate the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act. described by the Minister of Labour. , in an interview. While explaining that there was no suggestion of altering the principle or of making any drastic alterations to the Act. the Minister said an overhaul was necessary. He hoped to bring down appropriate legis- j lation during the approaching session of Parliament. Although the Act had been patched up from time to time, said the Minis- , ter. a stage had been reached when an ; overhaul was essential, as there were a ; number of anomalies which acted j against both the employers and the I workers. There was no intention of departing from the principles of arbitra- | tion. Rather was it desired to have j them more generally applied “Compulsory arbitration should give ! the country some uarnntee of indus- ; trial peace, and we must look to the I labour organisations of the Dominion j to assist in bringing about this result." j IMr Armstrong continued. “AmendI ments to the Act may bo necessary to give trade unions .the powers of dealing effectively with any unruly elements that arc inclined to break away i at the slightest provocation, more par- i | ticularly when there arc constitutional \ j means of settling any differences that j may arise.” I Mr Armstrong referred to the short- { age of skilled tradesmen, and the fact j that very few apprentices had been r trained over a period of five or six years. Handicaps were imposed by the antiquated apprenticeship legislation and. although the adult apprentices’ scheme had resulted in 1200 contracts being arranged, more apprentices were required. He preferred the training of skilled workers in New Zealand to their importation from overseas, and. as a result, the present legislation was being thoroughly examined with a view to improvement. When the proposals were formulated, the Minister said, they would no doubt be discussed with representatives of the organisations of employers and workers.