UNION AND COURT.

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2884, 23 September 1916, Page 13

UNION AND COURT.

a——— , "NO CONFIDENCE." Tho new plasterers' award «was explained to a special meeting of the Plasterers' Union by the secretary of the union (Mr. L. M. A. Rearden), and tho union expressed great dissatisfaction with the terms, and resolved:— "That this union has no confidence in tho Arbitration Court as now constituted, and that tho- usefulness of tho Court, as a Court iof equity, has now disappeared according to tho verdicts or awards given recently, for not-/ withstanding tho substantial evidenco put forward to substantiate tho claims of tlio unions for a fair living wago tho Court seems to ignore such evi- ' denee entirely. Especially was this tho case in regard to our last application to the Court, where it was shown that tho yearly average wage' did not realise . over £2 10s. per week, and tho cost of living is more in Wellington .than elsewhere, yet the Court could not Krant any increase, but decreased the weekly amount of .earnings by Is: 7-Jd. per week,' and based their award on tho fact that Duncdin and Auckland wages were sufficient, ; which is ridiculous on tho, facts that both aro much cheaper to livo in than Wellington. Tho Court has only granted the union one farthing per hour increase for tho 16 years' duration of this union, which is very small compared to other trades, especially when, the amount of lost rime is taken into consideration." • On Thursday evening the Trades and Labour Council, lalso, discussed 'the Arbitration Court, particularly in reference to tho plasterers' award, in which it was reckoned that there had been a reduction in wages. Tho Council dpcided to approach the Minister of Justice, and place evidence before him.