THE STRIKE CLAUSE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6622, 11 September 1908, Page 5

THE STRIKE CLAUSE

VIEWS OF AN’ EMPLOYER. A LITTLIC HAZY ABOUT MEANING. IT.ES3 ASSOCIATION. CHRISTCHURCH, September 10. Asked by a representative of “Truth” how employers viewed the strike clause in the recent Arbitration Court awauls, .Mr F. \V. Hobbs, president of the Canterbury Employers’ Association, -said that he thought employers generally approved the principle I.')id down in it. Xn the past the position had boon that the worker always stood to win in the ease of a strike. If he was able to exact better terms than the award grunted he won -, it ho was defeated by the employer the worker still won because the employer was still bound by the award of the Court. The “strike clause'’ appeared to Mr Hobbs to bo a matter of simple justice, ft wins rather difficult to understand from the clause ns published whether an award lapsed automatically when a strike occurred or whether before it lapsed tho Court must decide that a strike had occurred. Another difficulty was presented by the possibility of a small section of a trade going on strike and thus involving tho whole trade. He could not help thinking that when they had the Court’s clear interpretation of tho clause they would find that such a stain of affairs was provided for. Tho position would hardly bo a right one. if the fact that a strike by a small section of a trade meant the suspension of tho award in respect to the remainder of the trade. Tho Courts clause was practically on tho lines of clause 10 of tho Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill at present before the House, and consequently really carried out tho Minister's intentions as expressed in that clause. Tho clause mentioned provides that on the conviction of a union for “having incited, instigated, aided or abetted tho' commission by any of its members” of a strike in the industries enumerated in tho preceding clause tho registration of such union shall be suspended and during such period of suspension any award in operation shall also bo suspended. This had been considered and approved by the Canterbury Employers’ Federation’and by its representative before the Labour Bills Committee.