FORMING OF UNIONS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 108, 8 May 1936, Page 8

FORMING OF UNIONS

FURTHER LIGHT SHED COMPULSORY MEMBERSHIP duty on EMPLOYERS PREFERENCE TO UNIONkSIS ( Per Press Association, j \V ELL INGTON, Al ay 7. Further provision regarding" the formation of unions ana membersnip are contained, m a series of ameanments to the Inuustriai Conciliation and. Ar nitration Amendment Bill, which are to be moved during the committee stages by the Minister of Labour, tnc Hon. H. T. Armstrong. According to a suppitmentary older paper circulated in tue House 10-uignt the original clause in the Bill dealing with compulsory unionism has been redrafted. This requires all workers who are subject to any aisai d or indust.iu! agreement to became members of a uuion, and it is to be replaced by fl new clause. This requires all workers who aie subject to any award or industrial agreement to become members of a union, and it is provided that it will be unlawful to employ a nonunionist. The compulsory provision is to be included in every award or industrial agreement, wheoner it is made before or after the passing of the Bill. If no union members are available nonunionists may be employed. The union is required to admit as n member any worxer who applies for membership in accordance with its rules. However, where the Arbitration Court granu a restricted membership to the union the prescribed maximum membership cannot be exceeded. The compulsory unionism provisions are not to apply to workers under the age of 18, except in cases where they receive maximum adult rates of With reference to the restriction of registration of new unions, it is proposed to add a new sub-clause whicli provides that where a union is in existence in any industrial district before May J, 1936, the registrar shall not register another similar un on without the. consent of the Aiinister. Clauses dealing with the formation of Dominion unions are to be attended so that such unions will be referred to as New Zealand unions. Where a ?<ew Zealand Union is registered the Minister may detect retention of a district union if he is satisfied that, there are good reasons lor that course, and (hat r majority of members of ih-e district union desire that its registration should not be cancelled. There is a stipulation! that a New Zealand jnton shall not be registered unless there ace societies of employers or workers in.at least four industrial districts. Tn the ease of a North Island or South Island Union there must be societies of workers in at least two industrial districts.

FACTORIES ACT ! BILL FURTHER AMENDED | DEFINITION OF FACTORY” I Per Pre«. Association. 1 WELLIXGTO.X. Mac 7. | Amendments to the Factories Bill I were reported by the Labour Bills Committee as follows: | Clause .1 (a) extends the definition | of term ” factory” in the pr.neipal Act 10 a place wthe-ein one or more persons are employed. At present a, factory is a platie where two or more persons are employed. ‘This is to deal with backyard factories and laundries.. Clause 2 provides for one additional hour per day to be allowed to any ; worker over eighteen years employed in | fretting up steam, or in making preparations for the work of a factory, provided that payment is made for such time at ordinary rates. Clause 2 also provides that every occupier of a factory shall have the right to appeal to the' Arbitration Court, whether bound by an award or net. to extend the working hours, provided that the Court shall not fix any extended hours in excess of 44 hours per week. It is provided further tint a. reduction of hours prescribed r.y clause 2 shall not come into operation before Joly L W36. Clause JI is amended to provide tnat ! wages shall not be less than 15s per i week during the first six months of employment, with increments of 4s for every additional six months of employI ment, until the expiration of three I voars, and, thereafter, not less than £.2 a week. As the 'clause stands at {present a worker ‘commencing at 15s a week i-s employed for four years before | reaching a wage of £2 a week. The new proposal enables the worker to I reach £2 at the expiration of three years. Provision is also being made t'ba>i. existing awards and industrial agreements shall be read subject to the Lac- ! tories Amendment Act, 1936. Under ' the present section 151 oi the Indus- • trial Conciliation Amendment Act. 1925 existing awards and industrial agreements cannot be altered by subsequent legislation.