THE "STRIKE CLAUSE."

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13852, 11 September 1908, Page 5

THE "STRIKE CLAUSE."

APPROVAL OF EMPLOYERS. [BY TELEOKAIH. —I'RJSSS ASSOCIATION".] Ciiristciiurch, Thursday. Asked by a representative of Truth how employers viewed the strike clause in recent Arbitration Court awards, Mr. F. W. Hobbs, president of the .Canterbury Employers' Association, said that ho .thought that the employers generally approved of ihe principle laid down in it. In the past the position had been that the worker always stood to "win in the case of a strike. If he was able to exact better terms than the award granted he won, and if he was defeated by the employer the worker still won, because the employer was still bound by the award of the Court.' The "strike alausc" appeared to Mr. Hobbs to bo a matter of simple justice. It was rather difficult-, lie paid, to understand from the clause, as published, whether an award lapsed automatically when a strike occurred, or whether before it lapsed the Court must decide that a strike hud occurred. Another difficulty was presented by the possibility of a small section of a trade going on strike, and thus involving the whole trade. He could not help thinking that when they had the Court's clear interpretation of the clause, they would find that such a state of affairs was provided for. The position would hardly be a right one if the fact that a small section of a trade meant the suspension of the award in respect to the remainder of the trade.

The Court's clause," the speaker said in conclusion, " is practically on the lines of clause 10 of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill, at present before the House, and, consequently, really carries out the Minister's intention.-* as expressed in that clause. The clause mentioned, which- provides that on the conviction of a union for ' having cited, instigated, aided, or abetted the commission by any of its members, of a strike in the industries enumerated in the preceding clause, the registration of such union shall be suspended, -ind dining such period of suspension any award in operation shall also be suspended.' hud been considered and approved by the Canterbury Employers' Federation, and by its representative before the Labour Bills; Committee. Tine Court's clause really embodied clause 10 of the Bill." AUCKLAND EMP LOYKRS' RESOLUTION. A meeting of the Parliamentary Bills Committee of the Auckland Employers' Association was held yesterday 'morning, and a resolution was carried to the following effect:—"That in view of Ihe existing anomalies in the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, and in the interest of the very great numbers of persons now seeking employment, we desire to draw the special attention of the Government to the imperative necessity for either passing an, amending Bill dining the present session for the proper conduct and pro tectum of the industries of the Dominion, or, lulling this, that provision be made for the suspension of the opeiatioH of the Act until such a measure as referred to can be passed." IN SUPPORT OF THE JUDGE. [R¥ TELECKAPH. —PK.K.SS ASSOCIATION.] Napier, Thursday. The liawke's Bay Builders and Contractors' Union of Employers yesterday afternoon passed a resolution strongly deprecating the action of certain labour organisations in appealing for the removal of Mr. Justice Sim from the Arbitration Court.