BIG CHANGE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 90, Issue 12, 15 January 1946, Page 5

BIG CHANGE

FEDERAL ARBITRATION SYSTEM TRADE UNION PROPOSALS IN AUSTRALIA Recd. 7.15 p.m. Sydney, Jan. 14. Sweeping changes in the Federal Arbitration system are proposed in a draft Bill which the Australasian Council of Trade Unions has prepared for submission to the Federal Government.

The Bill proposes the retirement of all present judges of the Arbitration Court and their replacement by a single judge who would decide points of law and by a system of conciliation committees which would be fact-find-ing and award-making bodies not bound by rules of evidence. The conciliation committees would also be given authority to fix standard hours in industry, determine the basic wage and order preference in employment to unionists.

Some members of the Council admit that the draft Bill includes proposals which may exceed the Government’s powers under the Constitution. They say, however, t bat any new Arbitration Act which could not be successfully challenged on constitutional grounds might not satisfy the demands of the trade union movement.

An executive member of the Council, Mr. J. D. Kenny, says the main »aims of the new Bill were the elimination of the present maze of involved legal procedure and the substitution of a simpler and speedier system, retaining only a judge in a purely advisory capacity as president. The Conciliation Commissioners would be non-legal practical men with a special knowledge of the various industries. Hopes were for a 40-hour week and the increase of the basic wage from £4 to £5 8s by the incorporation of the war prosperity and other loadings.