INDUSTRIAL LAW

Wairarapa Daily Times, 1 August 1936, Page 8

INDUSTRIAL LAW

UNION MEMBERSHIP. MANAGERS AND FOREMEN. WELLINGTON, Friday. “I am surprised that there has been any suggestion that managers or foremen should be forced into unions. It is very doubtful whether many unions desire them to be members or would even j admit them to membership,” said the Minister of Labour, the Hon. H. T. Armstrong, in an interview. ‘ ‘ The Act requires all workers who are subject to any award or industrial agreement to be members of the industrial union or trade union bound by that award .or industrial agreement. A sub-section states that it shall not be lawful for any employer, bound by an award, to employ or continue to employ any adult person who is not, for the time being, a member of an industrial union of workers bound by the award, or who is not a member of a trade union which, is registered as such before Ist May, 1936, and which is bound by the award. It has been stated that this sub-section relates to all employees in industry, whether covered by an award or not. My interpretation is that it applies to those persons in industry whose conditions of employment are prescribed by a particular award. Unless the award makes provision for a manager or foreman, then the compulsory unionism provisions do not apply. It should be pointed out that it is not usual to cover managers or foremen in awards. There arc exceptions, such as the Grocers’ Assistants Awards and the Dairy Factory Managers’ Award. In large establishments, however, managers and persons in control are not covered by awards or industrial agreements.”— (P.A.)