THE LABOUR PROGRAMME.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 5288, 28 May 1904, Page 7

THE LABOUR PROGRAMME.

■MANIFESTO FISOM TUB EMPLOYEES. The proposals adopted 1 >y the Trades 'Councils’ Conference' at Us meeting m Cliristohurcli last month have born considered by the New Zealand Employers Federation, which lias issued a manifesto in reply. The fallowing uro the lending features of this manifesto, which is addressed io -'every employer of labour, every business man, and every one, in fact, who has any interest in flip true Welfare ami progress of the colony : Workers’ Compensation Act. —inn mihour party demands full pay from time of accident, tho current rate of vvagea ruling in tho district to be tbo basis of payment, iho maximum rum recoverable to bo increased from T3o[) to JiGOO, and the Government Insurance Department so provide for risks declined by other companies. Tho Employers’ Federation points out that "as the law at present stands no injured worker can claim payment for the lust week unless his disablement continues longer than a fortnight, and half-pay only is allowed, payment bring bared on bis own average earnings for tho twelve mouths prior to accident. These and other provisions in the Act have already made tho insurance rales a heavy harden on Iho employer, but what would tho rates be if tbo above proposals were adopted? They would moat assuredly bo at least trebled Can the cm plover alford to pay tins?* Conciliation and Arbitration Act. Tho Labour party demands —■ (a) Compulsory preference to. .unionists; (b) amendment of suli-st-elion 1, section Uo, by which a majority of tho votes of members of tho union present at a meeting (instead of, as at present, a majority of the voles of all tho members of tho union! will entitle tho union to file a reference to tho Board; fed the repealing of clause CD, which requires that notice of tho proposal to filo a reference shall be posted to all the members before the special mooting is. held to consider it; (d'l chairmen of Conciliation Boards or Stipendiary Magistrates to have power to award costs in "detail disputes’' ; (c) industrial agreements to extend, to eve?y employer in the. sumo industry in the district. Tho Employers’ Federation s comments on these demands arc;— (n) Tho ‘absurdity of tho claims of unionists to preference of employment was pointed out some time ago by the federation and Parliament last session negatived the proposal by -la voles to 21. No valid reason lias since been urged against leaving the granting of preferenoo entirely in the hands of tlie Arbitral ion Court, (hi and (c) Tlieso would giro a small section 01 a union the newer Jo decide whether a dispuln should bo filed* and without bonis obliged to give, oacli member notice ot the proposal. The removal of tho present necessary safeguards against improper advantage being taken of the Act must bo strenuously opposed. It is not unite clear what is meant bv detail disputes, but employers find that costs arc henvv enough at present, and they have small reason to hope that mailers would bo improved if power io award costs were conferred upon cither chairmen of Conciliation Boards or Stipendiary Magistrates. (e) This would oimulo the union to get one or two emotovers to sign an agreement which would bind all the other employers interested unless the latter were smart enough lo lodge mi Objection within six weeks. Tins would ho serious enough if confined in a city, lint it. would ba simply intolerable if it extended throughput on industrial district. ’ Workmen's Wages Act.—The Labour part'- demands that unions shall have power to sue for wages of workmen. The Employers' Federation says this is evidently intended as a step in Iho direction of' increasing tho power of the Male' and Female Labour.—The Labour party demands- equal pay for male and

female labour. This the EmpdoyciV federation points out t '° a a , tc,,, Uri femmes to ho drived S o ?ho ot employment, ami e ,* us - incs<(;3 .- tU ? t . ?unlrl»wir ot luuustnss. Tho , I..'”party demands that Um Govtinmcnt"shall establish JaM. bool: -nd the mLU ; l,t "Tn Urn aims s{The j‘a°t,ou? porlv. whoso extreme Socialism has evidently no bounds.