“WAGE REDUCING SCHEME”

Taranaki Daily News, 6 August 1930, Page 9

“WAGE REDUCING SCHEME”

COMPENSATION ACT CHANGES. SEAMAN’S UNION PROTEUS. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Many of the proposals in the report of the Commission set up by the Government. to inquire into the law relating to compensation for ■ accidents to workers are against the interests of the workers of New Zealand according to the opinion expressed at a largely-at-tended meeting of. the Federated Seamen’s Union of New Zealand.

The meeting was particularly opposed to clause 7 of the report, which proposes to reduce the weekly payments of a single seaman from £4 to £3 per week and in addition reduce the lump sum payments for permanent partial disability in the same ratio. In other words a single seaman is to be reduced in both his weekly and lump sum payments.

The following resolution was unanimously carried: That this meeting records its emphatic protest against the proposal contained in clause 7 of the Workers’ Compensation Commission’s report whereby it is proposed to reduce the weekly payments of a single seaman who may have the misfortune of being thrown out of employment as a result of an accident from £4 under the present law to £3 per week. We are of the opinion that this proposal contains within it a scheme to reduce rates and divide the membership of the trade union movement into two groups, married and single, thereby destroying the solidarity of the union in its fight to maintain and improve the wages and conditions of its members. Further, we call upon all trade unionists and our Labour members of Parliament to support us in our fight against this vicious wage-reducing, union-splitting proposal becoming incorporated in the Workers’ Compensation Act.