INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24049, 21 August 1941, Page 11

INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES

REDUCTION LAST YEAR DEPARTMENT'S 50TH REPORT (S.R.) WELLINGTON. Wednesday Ihere were 49 industrial disturbances in New Zealand during the year ended March 31, 1941, compared with um the previous year, and 68 in IJ3B-39, according to the annual report of the Department of Labour, which was presented in the House tocJui" j , re P or t is the department's oUth, and it is mentioned that whereas the original staff was one officer, the present staff is 231, and about 180 parttime employees. Disturbances during the year resulted in lost time equal to 24,082 working days, compared with 43,776 the year before, the report continues. There were 20 disturbances in the mining industry, seven in the shipping and waterfront industries, and 12 in the freezing industry, i More employers' unions and fewer workers' unions compared with a year earlier are recorded. Employers' unions number 269, against 264 the previous year, with a total membership of 11,169, against 9893. Workers' unions number 432, against 442 in 1939-40, with a membership of 248,081, against 254,664. Sums totalling £17,183, against £25,008 the year before, were collected by departmental officers for workers who had been underpaid. Further amounts of arrears totalling £17.915 were_ paid by employers at the instance of inspectors to the workers concerned. There were 6213 applications under the Fair Bents Act during the year, against 6059 the year before. The number of factories registered in the Dominion was 17,940, against 18.141. but there was an increase of 3419 factorv workers, the rise since war began being about 9000.