AN INDUSTRIAL TRUCE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19448, 6 November 1925, Page 5

AN INDUSTRIAL TRUCE

SUGGESTION OF EMPLOYERS MR. BLOODWORTH FAVOURABLE. There is a possibility that the idea of a three years’ industrial truce, as advanced by Mr. T. Shailcr Weston, president of the New Zealand Employers’ Federation, would meet a favourable reception in Auckland trade union circles. Mr. Weston said that if trade union leaders would conclude a truce, to last three years, with the Employers’ Association, based on the maintenance of wages by both sides at the rates fixed by present awards, modified where necessary to conform with the recent pronouncement of the Arbitration Court, and would see that irritation strikes and other wasteful industrial tactics were avoided, he was certain the cost of living index would be reduced at least 20 points. Mr. T. Bloodworth, to whom the proposal was referred, said the suggestion was well worthy of serious consideration. The last time a suggestion of the kind was made, it came from the

workers’ side. That was when the' Arbritration Court adopted the policy I of fixing basic wages and adjusting! bonuses in accordance with the rise or fall indicated by the cost of livingfigures. ‘‘We then asked that before this policy was put into operation a National industrial Conference should be called by the Government to consider the whole question. Our proposal did not receive the support of the Employers’ Association then and the conference was not held. I am of opinion that by failing to call that conference the Government of that day made a very big error of judgment.” In discussing Mr. W< | on’s proposal, the “New Zealand Herald’’ had said: “If the offer is accepted . . . consultation between the two pities, perhaps with the assistance of the Arbitration Court, should lead to an undertaking acceptable to both sides.” “For nrv part,” said Mr Bloodworth, “I am perfectly certain that a consultation between the two parties can do no harm, and if it is begun in the right spirit by both sides it might do a whole lot of good. Mr. Weston, however, was expressing his individual opinion, just as I am doing now. If the Employers’ Association adopts Mr. Weston’s view, and issues the invitation, I would ad- ' vise the unions to take part in the con- ! ference, provided I was assured that it I was the Employers’ Association and not merely some few individual members of the association, more humane and progressive than the rest, who were just out for an academic discussion on industrial problems, and provided also that I was assured the Employers’ Association was able to enforce from its members reasonable adherence to any decisions which such conference might

agree upon. “Mr. Weston, in his statement, assumes we trade union leaders have the power to stop ‘irritation strikes and other wasteful industrial tactics, and I think it is equally fair for me to assume that Mr. Weston and the leaders of the Employers’ Association have the power to compel observance of aggreements by all employers and to stop the irritation tactics and wasteful industrial methods which are not unknown to come from that side. If Mr. Weston can propound a scheme by w-hich money wages can be maintained, which means that real wages, that is, purchasing power, would be increased, when markets are shrinking, prices falling, and production increasing, then he would indeed have conferred a benefit upon mankind, but these are matters which would. I take' it, be discussed by the suggested conference. “I may mention,’’ added Mr. Bloodworth. “ that one problem we have to deal with, which does not appear to have been mentioned by Mr. Weston, is unemployment. Maintaining the rate, of real wages is a good thing, but ensuring that a worker will always have an opportunity to earn wagep is at least equally important.”