WORK AND WORKERS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7852, 14 July 1911, Page 1

WORK AND WORKERS

THE EMPLOYERS’ VIEW WELLINGTON MEN ON VARIOUS PROBLEMS. Industrial topics of varying into cat are flcuit with by tJir- committee of the Wellington Employers’ Association in the •report to be presented ait the twelfth annual meeting. THE ARBITRATION ACT. Tho Arbitration Act occupies pride of place. “It is," sjirs the report, “ corCi.my opera tin g in the direction of cucouriugiag tno loinumou of industrial unions. us was intended by its originators. But it is of more importance and signdk-aaco to the com.unu.ty to bo compelled to realise that it is ad so proem;-; uu Acn that is largely used for the cie-a-lion of trade d.spines ami tno unsettling o; no. king c-jml.i;um>. Tm; cuminittee uvis .-.me .I was mver intenae-u, by r.ne i.-v P-no are th.ii me previsions VI the Aet noam l»c applied in t.DS any, bar. -inn reun-.o- oi toe Am.truiiuU Conn, and mo mnLAocy -a uu; var-eim vi-pov-s biougm oivoiv u c.Mfij proven uiXo utuUnii.ut i-o ijo eeneti. Ui Lius connection ii is ocuevia one nun,- na.un cocietary is hugely rcepousioio lor no less tnan lour ii..(n- U.splUi-.s mat nave caned for me uit.uciou oi employers daring tut year." it )o admitted by the committee that the conciuaue.u provisions ox ilia Act art? mnv being nUnuu-oteiCil ami given effect Vo lu a ...vi-o nC-'i.icU'iy manner tuna formerly, out it is said mat tlmre is snail much to be desired, The cruel uiliicuny i ecenis to l>o to secure awscssors ivUo! realise that tney are representing the whole duly ci employers..and teat wlia'ii may seem to them a small concession to I a uuaon may be nsid uga.ust employers throughout the JJouiinion. ] UNSATISFACTORY. I Objection is voiced to tho hearing of breach of award cases by stipendiary magistrates, which it is said, is still proving unsatisfactory in many vray.s. ■‘The chief objection to the healing of these cases by magistrates,’’ says the report, “is that their decisions in the Various centres vary considerably, and cannot bo taken as a genera) guide to employers, whereas if the cases were taken'by tho court that made the awards and administered the Act finality would be reached and precedents created. Unguccesst'ul efforts have been made to secure tho right for the employers’ representative to appear in the Magistrate’s Court in breach of award cases. It certainly seems anomalous that only counsel can appear for parties in an inferior court, while, in proceedings in tho Court of Arbitration (a court of final jurisdiction) a layman might, represent the parties." ■ SHOPS AND OFFICES. It ia asserted that many of the amendments made last session in the Shops and o:liceti Act are operating most unfairly, the chief objection being to the removal from tho Arbitration Court of power to vary tho hours of work prescribed by the Act. Tho report says that those shopkeepers who, at the passing of the Amendment Act, were working under awards suffered a grave injustice in that they had. to continue payment of award wages (which were based upon award hours) but were compelled, nevertheless, to reduce the hours of work to those fixed by tho Act. This was owing to no provision having been made for the adjustment of awards to meet the altered conditions. THE COMING SESSION.

Although it is believed the next _ session will be a short one the committee states that thoro must bo no cessation of been watchfulness of oil industrial legislation brought forward; Important, and in some respects objectionable, _ amendments were circulated last session, and would ’ doubtless appear again. The strongest representations had already l»oon made in opposition to the “astounding proposal . . • that would practically moan compulsory and statutory preference to unionists.” proposal would really take from the people the right to let certain work cm contract, and compel them to pay award wages regardless of the value of the work done. UNIONS AND ARBITRATION. Cancellation of registration of unions is not so general as it was twelve month* ego, and the committee thinks this is due to the change of opinion on the part of a number of Labour leaders and their tardy recognition of the benefits of arbitration and conciliation. The action of the miners and the 'stand taken by the Now Zealand Federation of Labour, which the report says “openly scorns the court. and refuses to recognise its awards,” are pointed in and the opinion expressed that if worker's continued to put their unions outside the court at the rate they bad until recently been doing, employers should agitato for the repeal of tho Act. WHO HAS BENEFITED. In conclusion the report says that although Parliament has laboured during Che past twenty years to satisfy the demands of labour, the workers say they are no better off than formerly, and it has to be admitted that many industries which should be flourishing in our midst are really languishing. The committee believes that it is in a large measure riue to the fact that the workers are I relying on the Government and the laws i ,o ' better thoir condition, rather than depending on their own exertions and improved efficiency, as entitling them to claim better conditions. Workers have yet to fully recognise and appreciate the fact that they must give reasonable value in labour for the wages they receive. Otherwise the limit of employers’ resources will soon be exceeded, and our industries cease to exist.