CASE FOR NEW WAGE RATES THIS WEEK

Chronicle (Levin), 8 July 1947, Page 3

CASE FOR NEW WAGE RATES THIS WEEK

'V * t ' ■Press Association

Bv Telearavh ■

WELLINGTON, July 7. . : Ou Wednesday the Court of»Arbitration will commence the .hearing of an application unjer ' Regulation 39B of the •Eeonomie Stabilisation ■ Emergency Regulations for'a pronoUntfement specifying new standard rates of wages for' skilled, " semi-skilled, 'And uhBkilled workers. The application followed the denaands by sonie unions foi hfgher 'rates of wages, culminating in the' hational council of tho Federation of Labour deciding to proeeed with an application for a general wage increase of £1 a week. The application sujbmitted to the Court of Arbitration was. jointly signed by the Federation of Labour and the Furniture and Related Trades Assoeiar tion of Workers. Mr. K. Baxter, secretary of the Federation of Labour, will conduct the workers' case. The Furniture Trades Union is asking for two inajor decisions — the first- being the pronounceinent specifying new rates of wages, and the second for "amendments to its present award. The second is contingent on the • fbrst request being granted. • i Although the Furniture Trades Union is the only union to .have approached the Court, all other. unions will be aileeted. The procedure to be adopted, assumiiig that new rates -of wages are granted, is a little compiicated.' . The Court of Arbitration may issue orders to other unions on its own motion, but should the unions be dissatisfied with any action taken or decision made, they have the right to bring the matter before the Court again/by way of appeal. The unions' may also, on their own account, apply to the Court in the same , manner as has the. Furniture Trades Union.

The council of the Federation of Labour, which instructed the national • exccutive to proeeed with the application, reached its decisiop. to aupport the claim for increased wages after a short discussion. The council* desired the increase to be Od an hour,.based on a 40hour wcek. The advoeate for.tlielbipployers in the hearing before the Court will bo Mr. W. E. Anderson, secrefary pf the Auckland Provincial Lmploypfa ' "Association. He has staled that it' was not the' iutention of the employers" to uppose such revision of wages as was conteinplated by the Goverument wbAn it announced on February 11 the amehdment to the regulations enabling tli^' Federation .of Labour to apprdach the Court with a request for a new general wage order. The Employers' Fedei,,atijon recognised that.si.uce wage rates^er.en;eyi_ewed by tlle Arbitration. CourtbiBj 1945 the general wage structure liad be.en, disturbed by agreements in (cqncdiiation co.unoils and by decisions of special . tribunals. The employers eonsid§red that action was necessary to restore propei: relationship bctween; the rates payable to workers of various clapses. . Any decision given by the/Gourt following the hearing of the- application will have widc repercussions. .All awards and industrial agreements afe involved. - Although at present' Ihe Court of Arbitration has been advised that only Mr. Baxter and Mr. Anderson will be appearing as advocates on Wednesday, it is possible that other interested sec tions of the community may be representcd to present their views.