BOOT TRADES DISPUTE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18197, 18 March 1921, Page 2

BOOT TRADES DISPUTE

REFERRED BACK TO PARTIES. In the New Zealand federated boot trade’s dispute and its application for a dominion award (recently heard in Auckland) the Arbitration Court has been unable to fix new rates of wages, and in referring the matter back to the parties for a conference has filed the following memorandum:— “The court has endeavoured to arrive at a basis on which to fix new rates of wages, but in the absence of any suggested scheme of classification it has found it impossible to arrive at a conclusion. The court recognises that many of the operations performed in the trade involve the employment of highly skilled labour, though other operations can be and are performed by comparatively unskilled labour. New rates of wages, therefore, cannot bo fixed in. the absence of classification without doing an injustice either to the employers or to the highly skilled workers. If a high basic rate is fixed for all workers the employers must suffer through paying that rate to the less skilled workers; and if a low basic rate is fixed for all workers the highly skilled workers will not receive fair treatment. In view of the pressure of competition from outside New Zealand, it appears to us to be highly desirable that a serious attempt should be' made to stabilise conditions in this country on a scientific and equitable basis. The court wishes to reaffirm what is stated in its memo, of August 12, 1920, when an application for a bonus was dealt with. (The court in its memo, suggested that the parties should meet in conference.) The court therefore refers the application to the parties for further consideration. It suggests as a basis of discussion a study of the classification of the boot manufacturing industry prepared by the National Efficiency Board in 1917. If the parties are unable to agree on a complete classification it will be of assistance to the court if they set out the different operations in detail, and_ indicate which operations or sets of operations are admitted to be skilled, semi-skilled, or unskilled, leaving it to the court to determine the classification of any operations that may be doubtful. The court will sit in Christchurch on April 5 next, and will be prepared to receive and deal with a report on the outcome of | the suggested conference at that sitting, and will then finally decide the matter.”

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