ENFORCEMENT OF AWARDS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23868, 24 July 1939, Page 4

ENFORCEMENT OF AWARDS

UNION SECRETARY'S CRITICISM REPLY BY THE MINISTER DUTIES OF INSPECTORS EXPLAINED (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON, July 23. A reply to the statements by the secretary of the Canterbury Freezing Works and Related Trades Union (Mr H. Kilpatrick) was made on Saturday by the Minister of Labour, Mr P. C. Webb. The Minister said that Mr Kilpatrick. was evidently not aware of the provisions and intention behind the provisions of the legislation passed last week in view of his statement that provided the Minister gave his department full support in enforcing awards the legislation was entirely unnecessary “ The enforcing of awards is not affected by the recent legislation, as the legislation is aimed at the prevention of unnecessary stoppages of work, and in no case within recent years at any rate has a stoppage taken place because of the nonenforcement of an award by the'department,” said Mr Webb. “ Generally a stoppage arises out of a disagreement with the terms _of an award and not because of failure to enforce the provisions of an award. “ Mr Kilpatrick mentions the case of the dining and dressing accommodation in freezing works,” the Minister said. “ The department has endeavoured to enforce the provisions regarding accommodation, and in most of the works, as stated by.Mr Kilpatrick, the accommodation is now satisfactory. In one or two works, however, the,work is not completed, but the department is still dealing with the matter.■ “ Recently,” Mr Webb said; “as the result of representations made to me by union officials the department issued instructions to all inspectors that before proceedings are taken in any case, unless, of course, the circumstances of the breach are serious, the union and the employer concerned must be consulted by the department’s officers with a view to adjusting the matter. Failing such adjustment, then proceedings would be instituted. This is regarded as a commonsense way of dealing with disputes under alleged breaches that may arise, as, after all/ it is more important that matters should be adjusted to the satisfaction of all parties, than to obtain a penalty.”