NO SOLUTION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26693, 12 February 1948, Page 6

NO SOLUTION

HIGHER WAGES CURE FOR INDUSTRIAL DISCONTENT “ Higher wages are no solution to staff difficulties. This is strikingly shown in the mines and on the waterfront, where very high wages are being paid to-day,” said Mr P. Henehan (Auckland), in a discussion on “Em-ployer-Employee Relations in the Grocery Trade.” In his opinion the capitalist system was definitely dying, and the question was What would replace it. Every country of eastern Europe was now controlled by a strong Communist minority, and both in New Zealand and Australia these minorities already existed. “ These Communists are not only in the mines and among the working classes,” he said. “ They include men of real intellectual ability in universties and in high political office.” Worker partnership in industry was the only solution. If men were offered a share in the business they would not be swayed by Communist slogans because they would then have a stake in the country. One of the biggest concerns of the employee was his security after he had retired, said the secretary, Mr R. M. Barker (Auckland). A worker might be given a pat on the back occasionally during his years of work, but what he really wanted was economic security when he retired, preferably at 60. If a suitable superannuation scheme could be instituted, it would make for much greater stability among staff. Bonuses were no solution whatever—if anything they tended to breed discontent among staff. “ Young men entering the grocery trade in recent years may have been widely educated in the arts, but they often do not have the basic knowledge necessary in the three R's. What is more important they have, no ideals of service to the community,” said Mr A. A. Kelly (Hawke's Bay). Staff no longer received the same training in their work as they did 30 years ago. Emphasis was now on the reward, with little mention of hard work. Employees only worked for 40 hours each week, and seemed to spend their time thinking of their leisure hours. On the motion of Mr L. G. Gimblett (Manawatu), the conference instructed the secretary, Mr Barker, to investigate group insurance schemes, which might be undertaken by the federation if commercial organisations did not prove favourable.