WAGE INCREASES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 13 June 1942, Page 4

WAGE INCREASES

TEST CASE POSSIBLE WORKERS RECEIVING ABOVE AWARD RATES (Jhrittcharch, June 12. A cast; may be brought shortly to ie t whether the recently granted w. increase applies to workers un--1 i ... rale Meanwhile. Mr Justice Tyndall h; apparently declined to hear a tc.-t i C&.-.C • ihe Court of Arbitration. I A . lavement to this effect has been mace by the secretary of the New Zeaj land Manuki'.lurer.’ Federation, Mi [ D. I. MacDonald. Some doubts -till existed. Mr MacDonald : aid. about the interpretation o; the general order of the ArbiLa ton Court, whereby a 5 per cent, in tvea.c was granted on the first £5, £2 1-. • : j males, females, and juniors. Doubt I lay ii whether ihL rhould be paid to | workers under awards already receivj ing more -ban this amount beyond the award rate. The Crown Law Office had :tiled that all workers must >c- ; ceive payment. The Employers’ Fed- ! eration then immediately put in tram, j with the knowledge and agreement of i the Department of Labour action for j * lest ease to be taken in the Court o Arbitration, but. after some weeks, the Employers' Federation was ad- , Msed that tlie judge of the Court of i Arbitration felt that he could not 1 consider such a case, and that, if the i issue had to be tested, it must be l tested outside his court. The Kmplo> j ers’ Federation was still negotiating | with the Department of labour with a ! view to taking a lest case in another i Court, but, so far, no actual ca t* had Mr MacDonald added that he j understood that two or three WeJlingl ton firms had advised the Employers' Federation that they were willing to j have the matter tested in their name, i and it was possible that such a case i would be brought soon.—P.A.