MOTOR TRADE

Southland Times, Issue 20609, 6 October 1928, Page 8

MOTOR TRADE

MECHANICS’ AWARD OPPOSITION TO PREMIER BONUS SYSTEM A FRUITLESS DISCUSSION (Per United Press Association.) Christchurch, October 5. “Even if the Arbitration Court includes it in the award it will not be binding. The men won’t work under the system if they don’t want to do so.” The above remarks were made by Mr R. F. Barter (Auckland), one of the assessors for the workers when Mr J. F. Cousins, secretary of the New Zealand Motor Trade Association, stated at a sitting of the Conciliation Council this morning that the employers proposed to ask the Arbitration Court to provide for piece-work or the premium bonus system in the motor mechanics’ award. Mr Barter declared his uncompromising hostility to the premium bonus system and said that the workers in the New Zealand motor industry did not wish to have American methods introduced. Then he made the remark quoted. “You mean a strike,” remarked Mr E. King (Wellington), one of the employers’ assessors. “I’m not using the word strike,” Mr Barter replied. Mr King: ‘ Well, that is what your statement means.” In view of the attitude of the Union, Mr Cousins said that it was useless discussing the matter further at that stage. He stated that the proposal would be submitted to the Arbiration Court. “A wrong impression would be created,” said Mr Hally, Conciliation Commissioner, at the conclusion of the sitting, “by the publication of the statement attributed to Mr Barter regarding a strike occurring if piece work were adopted on the motor manufacturing trade in New Zealand. As a matter of fact the remarks on both sides were made more in a jocular manner. Piece work will be discussed very seriously by both sides at to-morrow’s sitting and the prospects are that a very reasonable solution of the difficulty will be arrived at.” Mr Hally reported that generally good progress had been made at the council meeting to-day.