PROTECTING WORKERS.

Waikato Times, Volume 98, Issue 15310, 10 August 1923, Page 6

PROTECTING WORKERS.

LABOUR DEPARTMENT'S ACTIVITIES.

ITEMS FORM THE REPORT.

Interesting particulars of the working of the industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act and of the operations of the Labour Department in the interests of the workers are given in the annual report of the Department. Out of the total of 167 disputes dealt with by the Commissioners and Conciliation Councils, 124 (equal to 78.98 per cent) were settled or substantially settled by them without recourse to the Arbitration Court. The proportion so settled in the previous year was 76.2. Prosecutions for breaches of Act and awards and industrial agreements numbered 707 (76 dismissed). Employers were proceeded against in 188 cases, while of the 519 cases against workers 482 were for breaches of the anti-strike provisions of the Act. In regard to the registration of unions, comparison with the previous year shows that there has been a decrease of five in the number of employers' unions, with a decrease in the anti-strike provisions of the Act. In regard to the registration of unions comparison with the previous vear shows that there has been a decrease of five in the number of employers' unions, with a decrease in the membership of 203. The total number of workers' unions has increased by five, and the total membership has decreased by 1110. There were 49 industrial > disturbances during the year, of" which 41 might be classed as unimportant or trivial. Those concerned in the troubles of major magnitude were coal 'miners, seamen, freezing workers, and shearers. Thirteen disputes were dealt witn under the Labour Disputes Investigation Act. "To show how far the Labour Disputes Investigation Act has been successful in settling disputes without the workers feeling the necessity of having recourse to strides," says the report, "it may be pointed out that of 42 disputes dealt with since the inception of this Act in 1914—nine years ago—a settlement was reached under the procedure set out therein in every instance except one, and in this a settlement was subsequently reached by means of an award under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act. Only four ballots were found necessary, three resulting in favour of a strike and one against. Even in the cases where strikes were decided upon by ballot they did not eventuate. In two instances only ws there interruption of work—viz., a ten days' strike and a 'go-slow' policy. One of these occurred before the dispute was filed and investigated, and Ihe other was during the investigation. In both these cases the dispute was settled." Fiftv-flve cases were heard ana determined by the Court of Arbitration under the Workers' Compensation Act, none of which calls for special menlion. It is generally recognised that on the whole the New Zealand Act makes belter provision for the workers than those of other countries. An investigation of the various Acts in force elsewhere is being made, however, in order to see how far such is the case, and to ascertain whether any of the provisions examined could with advantage be recommended for adoption in New Zealand. Amounts totalling £5949 2s 4d were collected by the .Department's officers on behalf of workers who had been underpaid the wages prescribed by awards and the various Acts. There were 101 offices registered in New Zealand under the Servants' Registry Offices Act, being an increase of seven. In no case was it found necessary to institute a prosecution tor a breach of this Act. Five hundred and nine visits of inspection were made under the Footwear Regulation Act ,and stocks of footwear were carefully examined in order to ascertain whether the provisions of the Act were being complied with. Althogh in a few cases it was fond necessary to have stocks of shoddv footwear branded to comply with ihe regulations, in no case was it necessary to take proceedings to enforce the law.