THE INDUSTRIAL SITUATION

Otago Witness, Issue 3442, 2 March 1920, Page 42

THE INDUSTRIAL SITUATION

NATIONAL CONFERENCE PROPOSED. The Mow Zealand Welfare League has saued a . memorandum in which ■ it states .hat, after exhaustive inquiry into t3ie present* unsettled stato of industrial affairs in New Zealand, it had arrived at centain conclusions-, which it submits for the consideration of the Government and of all parties interested. It appears to it that much of the uncertainty and mistrust that exißts_ is due to there being no general regulative system of control which is mutually ac L ceptable' to both employers and workers. The settlement of disputes and the estab-' lisbment of common rules upon which the industries shall be operated are being dealt with by pah Taried methods that proper cp-ordinaiwe U impossible. The Conciliation Comnoila and tho Arbitration Court eac& in oh«3* own. way ereate standards of Industrial rulft On tha other hand, many sniploy«r» and union* of workers ignore <he Ie«JIT eitablish«d methods of vho Indtstiiai Rod Arbitration Act and make eetilementi bv direct and private flcmfdr»»Qoa on line* that regard only the ittvbarwts of those taking part in the disj&ttte. In respect to the important industries of owj supply, shipping, and general transport, the parties seem to have' quite settled upon acting entirely • apart from <>he - system of compulsory arbitration, and ba.ve reverted to tho old style of mutual agreements or the stoppage of work by strikes or lockouts. As these key industries greatly affect the general trade and commerce of the dominion, the fact of the changed attitude of employers and workers in such industries towards the dominion's Industrial laws is a matter for the fullest and promptest, consideration. Aa an outcome of the want of agreement upon a common method for the settlement of disputes, and, also, owing to the conflicting standards of industrial conditions from time to time being established, a very widespread feeling of uncertainty and inseo'irity obtains throughout tho whole' dominion. • This state of affairs is very undeuirable, as it is hampering the proper jjeveloprnent of our industries at a time of ne'sd'ful reconstruction in matters of feconomie and social importance. The interdependence of 6ur trades and industries a a vital fact which is practically

ignored, and should receive a great deal more consideration than it does. So long as each industry, trade and) calling follows its own course, without any regard as to how it affects others, the general welfare is sure to suffer.

Thore was a proposal from the Labour Federation that the Government should call a conference of employers and workers; This proposal was not followed up, nor did it apparently receive the consideration to which it was entitled. The league believes that llris suggestion of. the Labour Federation was a most valuable one, and would strongly urge upon the Government that it take the very earliest steps to call together a national industrial conference, to be composed of representatives of the. Government, of the employers and workers in the primary and key industries, of the same in the secondary and minor industries, and of representatives chosen to watch matters from the standpoint of the consumers'. This conference should be directed to endeavour to arrive at some mutual understanding between the various interests whereby common authorities might bo established to govern the settlement of industrial disputes and effect the/ establishment of common rules upon which our industries would be operated. The order of reference' for such a conference might, if the Government thought proper, include other questions of general importance affecting the, relations of employers and employees. Without bias for any particular system, the league counsels the need at this time of reconstruction, for a national review of all the systems in vogue in other countries for the better cooperation of Labour and Capital. From such an examination it is possible that some common factors of agreement may be decided upon, and that, it is submitted, would be of advantage to the general welfare of the dominion.