FEDERATION SPLIT ON WAGE ISSUE

Chronicle (Levin), 6 May 1947, Page 7

FEDERATION SPLIT ON WAGE ISSUE

-Press Association

WHY COURT PROCEEDINGS HAVE BEEN DELAYED

Bv Telearav/t-

■ AUCKLAND, May 5. ■ "The attitude of employers toward the proposed announcement by the Arbitration Courfc determining the stan- >. .dard' rates of wages and consequential / review of wage rates in awards and agreements, shouid be clearly under- ; stood, " said Mr. W. E. Anderson, sec- ' retary of the Auckland Provincial Employers' Association. "They are ready V to appear before the Arbitration, Court ' as soon as a date for the hearing of the j- applicotion under the regulations is fiied. ' ' Mr. Anderson said that shortly after the amending regulations were gazetted • he was appointed by the New Zealand ' Employers' Eederation to present the > case mor the efployers." He conlirmed the statement by Mr. K. Baxter, secre tary of the Fedci'dtion of Labour published on Thursday, that arrangcments were made as the result of consultatiou between them, that the case shouid be . heard on April 21 or 28. This was done a few days before the iiling 011 Marcb ' 25 of the application mentioned by Mr. • Baxter. The hearing had not taken . place because hpplieatiori had not been / made. to the Court to lix a date. Mr. Anderson said it would ue prema ture to discuss the nature of ihe subiiiissions he would make 10 tne Ocnit • but he'could certainly say that it was . not intended to oppose such a revigion of wages as was contemplated by the GoVernment when it announced an amendment of -tlie regulations. ' The Eipployers' Federation recognised that since wage rates were reviewed by the Arbitration Court in 1915, the general wage structure had been disturbed by agreements in conciliation couucils and by decisions of special tribunals. Act ion was necessary to restore a proper relationship between- the rate payable to workers of various classes. "I understand that the revision oi wage rates is held up," Mr. Anderson added, "because a section of members of the Federation of Lahour is pressing ■for a general and uniform increase to workers of all classes irrespcctive oi any increases gained since the last re vision in 1945. It shouid be obvious to the workers and public generally that the agitation for a general increase was not prompted by consideration for the ipterests of workers generally and sti 1 f less of skilled workers who have watched their margins being reduced by the i operation of methods that are now being USed to press a claim, of which the only . result would he to preserve the advantage gained hy some sections during the last two years and to postpone the restoration of the wages of other workers to standards to which they are entitled."