MEETING OF DRIVERS AND EMPLOYERS

Southland Times, Issue 23676, 26 November 1938, Page 20

MEETING OF DRIVERS AND EMPLOYERS

CONFERENCE FINISHES WITHOUT RESULT (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, November 25. A conference of representatives of the New Zealand- Federated Drivers’ and Related Trades Industrial Association of Workers and the New Zealand Road Transport Alliance, New Zealand Carriers’ and Customs Agents’ Association and other employers of drivers began yesterday and concluded this morning, under the chairmanship of Mr T. O. Bishop, secretary of the New Zealand Employers’ Federation. The object of the meeting was to give the workers’ representatives an opportunity of submitting to employers certain matters arising from the recent award of the Court of Arbitration. The most important matter brought forward for discussion was whether wages should be based on 40 hours and any hours worked above 40 should be paid for and the desirability that wages rates should bear the same relative position to wages of other workers as in past awards. The employers submitted a reply as follows:—

“The representatives of the employers of drivers have given careful consideration to the representations and requests made by the Drivers’ Union and while they are of opinion that the award is’better in some respects than might have been obtained during conciliation proceedings, now that the award has been made they feel that any attempt to alter its provisions would involve a violation of principles which are vital to the arbitration system and, therefore, have been forced to the conclusion that the award should remain unaltered for its term of one year.” Both sides expressed appreciation of the spirit in which the discussions had been conducted and the workers’ representatives expressed regret that no result had been obtained from the conference. They said they would report back to their members the views expressed by the employers, as well as the final .”eply.