THE World of Labour

Sun (Christchurch), Volume V, Issue 1360, 22 June 1918, Page 5

THE World of Labour

LABOUR CONGRESS.

MATTERS FOR DISCUSSION. The annual conference of Hie United Federation of Labour will be held in Hie Alexandra Hall, Abel Smith Street, Wellington, on July 2, 11118. The remits on the agenda paper cover a wide range, and for the information of readers of this column I propose to publish a number of them. The firsl one thai attracts my attention is by the AucklarftKDistrict Council, with reference to the recent action of the Arbitration Court in refusing an award to the Auckland Soft Goods Workers' Union. This matter lias been dealt with at length in this column on several occasions. The action, or rather inaction, of the Court was based on the fact that the employers had secured the signature of several hundreds of employees to a petition objecting to the making of an award in the industry. The union pointed out that the petition was taken round by heads of departments, and also that signatures to such petitions can always be obtained when presented under those circumstances. The Auckland Council asks that the conference lake steps to rectify the position. The Auckland Painters' Union has n remit dealing with the same mailer, the remit reading as follows: In view of the delay and decision given by the Arbitration Court in the Auckland retail soft Roods employees' application for an award, the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act be amended to compel the court to grant an award to every properly constituted union making an application for an award.

Employment of Soldiers. In regard lo the vexed question of the employment of returned soldiers as learners in a new industry, or under-ratc workers in their own pre-war occupation, the Otago Labour Council which has given special study to the question, submits the following remit:—

"The Executive Committee of the Otago Labour Council recommends that the following report be approved of, and that it be embodied in a recommendation to the Federation Executive to take action upon those lines:— 1. The present Order in Council to he revoked and to he substituted by an agreement between the Government and the Federation of Labour for the purpose of providing the best facilities for the employing of incapacitated soldiers, either as under-ratc workers or learners; such agreement to be then made into an Order in Council under clause :!;"> of. the Regulation ■of Trade and Commerce Act, till I.

2. Wages shall lie fixed by the employer, discharged soldier. Government representative, and a trade union representative in the industry in which -such soldier is to be employed. (Hereinafter termed the Soldiers' Employment Hoard.* .'!. Wages to he further regulated by the above parties. '- <t. The total wages, inclusive of the Government subsidy paid to the returned soldier, shall not be less than the minimum Wage operating in the industry. 5. The difference between the sum paid by the employer as wages and the minimum late of wages obtaining in the industry shall be borne.by the State, such expenditure by the State to he met by a direct tax on the land values of the Dominion.

0. The minimum wage shall be exclusive of any pension the returned soldier may receive. During the currency of an underrate permit, or the period of apprenticeship of a returned soldier, the Pension Board shall not review the pension paid to such returned soldier.

7. The period of apprenticeship or the currency of a permit shall he estimated as from the time they were first granted, and until the returned soldier is declared a competent worker. K. All pensions shall he fixed prior to the granting of an undcr-rate permit, or the commencement of apprenticeship of a returned soldier.

0. Should a returned soldier he employed as an undcr-rate worker or a learner in an Industry which is not governed hv an award, his total wages shall not fall below i:> per week, including the State subsidy.

10. A returned soldier who is either learning a trade or working under an undcr-rate permit, shall he under the direct supervision of the Heturned Soldiers' Department and the aforesaid Soldiers' Employment Board.

11. Where there is no trade union in an industry in which a returned soldier may be employed either as an undcr-rate worker or learner, the local Trades Council shall act in place of the aforesaid trade union. 12. All other conditions operating in an award shall equally apply to a discharged soldier whether working as an undcr-rate worker or learner who may from time to time be working under such award.

Conscription of Labour. Another important series of remils is forwarded also by I lie Ofago Labour Council, in reference lo clause 23 of the Finance Act, 1918, the clause in question giving the Government >vide powers in the direction of conscripting and transferring labour. The Otago Council's recommendations to the conference are:— In reference "to the suggest"! amendments bv the Government lo ; Clause 23 of the Finance Act, 1918, the Otago Labour Council submit the following recommendations: 1. Thai before any regulations are made liv Hie Ciovermnent under the above clause of ll«e finance Act, a conference shall be called to frame Hie proposed regulations; such conference to he held under the auspices of the Government, and to he composed of an equal number of employers and employees, with a Government representative as chairman. :.'. The workers' and employers' representatives shall he chosen directly by the different organisations, as follows: One representative each for the Miners' Federals.i. Agricultural and Pastoral L'nion, the Transpor! Workers' Federation, and the foiled l-.di ration of Labour. ?.. Where it is found necessary to restrict or prohibit anv employment, occupation or any business undertaking, it shall lie incumbent upon Hie CoveriiUK'iil lo provide immediately for Hie workers displaced by such restriction or prohibitions of such employment, occupation or business undertaking, 1. Where a worker is transferred from one industry lo another, and the wages In Ilic iodic.try lo which he has been so transferred be lower than the one in which he lias been previously employed, then Ihe wages of Ihe worker so transferred shall be the same as he received al his previous occupation. Where Ihe wages in the indusIrv to which a worker is transferred be higher than he had previously received, then the worker shall receive Ihe higher wages ruling in the industry to which lie is transferred. In no instance shall the wages of a transferred worker be reduced. .",. Where It necessitates a transferred worker lo live away from his family, he shall receive extra remuneration to cover extra expenditure. li. Where a transferred worker requires new tools, they shall be provided for him free of cos!, such cost lo be borne by the Industry lo which he is transferred. 7. All travelling expenses of transferred workers shall he bona- b> the industry to which lie is transferred. ti. Children of school age shall only be

A Column for Workers

Conducted by D. G. SULLIVAK

employed in accordance with the provisions of the" Factories Act. 9. All workers affected hy any of the regulations made under the above clause X', of the Finance Act, 1918, shall be required to belong to some industrial union of workers.

10. Where it shall become necessary for the Slate to control any factory or other undertaking, the profit allotted to the owner or owners of such factory or undertaking shall he the average profit obtained lor the three years ending August 1, 11)1 I, Unbalance thereafter to go to the State. 11. Where it shall become necessary for the State to purchase any factory or other undertaking, the purchase price shall Infixed by a committee, on which the workers shall be represented. 13. For the carrying out of these rcguia- «..»«*. outiuiuil and district boards shall be established. whicV. Shst! ;•-:;•:■«*■«!' au equal number of representatives of employers ami employees, chosen by their, organisaUons. with a Government representative as chairman. Miscellaneous. The Napier Branch of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners proposes:— 1. That the Conference press for an amendment to the Arbitration Act, so that awards will be binding on all parlies connected with any industry for which an award has been made. 2. That all wealth over a reasonable income be conscripted.

The Canterbury Grocers' Assistants' Union submits the following proposals:—

1. That the Shops and Offices Act be amended to provide that 18 hours per week shall constitute the period during which shops shall remain open. 2. That we affirm the desirability of a universal Saturday half-holiday, to be observed whether any other holiday Tails during the week or not. 3. That clause 5 of the Shops and Offices Act. which provides for late trading on Christmas and New Year's Eve, he eliminated. Auckland Tailors' Union. The Auckland Tailors' Union asks for:— 1. Amendment of the Factories Act re overtime and payment of lea money: That the Act be amended to provide that all employees required to work overtime will be paid tea money, whether previous intention to work overtime has been given to the worker by the employer or not. That not less than 1/- be allowed each worker as tea money. That the said tea money shall he paid upon the day that overtime is to he worked, and at least one hour before the meal time.

2. That the Conference request the Government to institute an investigation into the conditions of the tailoring trade award in relation to: (li The reduction of wages in the Northern Industrial District; (2) the dilution of labour by the employment of four female workers to each male worker.

11. That the Conference impress upon the Government the serious need for investigation into the methods employed by the manufacturers in fixing the price of articles by which workers in factories have 'their earnings calculated. Also the system of apprenticeship in factories, which imposes years of apprenticeship to acquire a knowledge which is attainable in a few months, thereby giving the employer a qualified worker at apprentice wage, which wage tends to fix the prices by which the earnings of the adult workers are calculated, thus necessitating an enormous speeding up by the more highly-paid adult workers.

The Christchurch United Furniture Trades Union submits the following remit:—

'that the Government be requested to establish a compulsory sick, accident, unemployment and mortality scheme that will cover all the workers in New Zealand, the cost to he borne by the primary and secondary industries of the country.

LIQUOR QUESTION. [To the Editor The Sun Labour Column.] Sir, —There is no doubt that there will be a breaking-away at the next election from the Reform and Liberal political parties by a considerable number of electors, and thoughtful men are looking for a new party lo which they can throw in their allegiance. Do you not think that the adoption of State control of the liquor traflie by the Labour Party will prevent large numbers of sympathisers from casting their voles in favour of Labour? —1 am, etc., INTERESTED. June 21. 1918.

[The correspond'-nt is in error in saying that the Labour Party has adopted State control of the liquor trade as a plank in its platform. What the I-abour Party Conference did was to ask the Government to place the State control issue on the ballot paper when the poll is being taken.—lid, Labour Column.]