EMPLOYERS' FEDERATION

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2888, 28 September 1916, Page 7

EMPLOYERS' FEDERATION

ANNUAL REPORT

'. LABOUR AND THE WAR i [ The annual meeting of the New ZeaL laud Employers' Federation was held yesterday. Mr.''P. S. AVcston (presi- '. dent) occupied the chair). i. The annual report stated that the period under notico had not been pro- - duqtivo of any particularly outstand- . ing features, as owing to the necessities of the war haviug fully occupied [ tho attention of Parliament there had ( not been any attempt to introduce la- . hour legislation, nor had there been i any industrial disturbances of any mag- , nitude. Notwithstanding this, how- , ever, the Advisory Board had been . kept_ actively employed in protecting , tho interests of employers in various directions. [ Industrial Disputes. Soveral minor happenings occurred during tho year, whioh were dealt with i under the strike clauses of the Act. ■ Tho principal of these wa6 tho strike : of tho I'etone Woollen Mill Workers ■ (Wellington), in connection with which i both the union and the secretary of the union were prosecuted and-fined •' under the strike provisions' of tho Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration ; Act.. Thorc had not, however, been any decrease in the number of disputes doalfc with by Conciliation Councils and tho Arbitration Court. On the contrary, the claims made ' during the year osceeded those of tho 1914-16 period.. As a matter of fact practically every workers' union had taken the opportunity of filing claims for increased wages, shorter hours, and more restricted conditions. of. employment. Tho 10 Per Cant. Increase. Kirly In the year representations wore iiiadoto tho Arbitration Court that tho time had come for some decisions as to tho Court's policy regarding ciaims mado so tar as tho demands for increased wages are concerned, on the ground of the increased cost of living. it was poiuted out to tho Court that increasing wages simply accentuated the trouble, and that evory time wages were raised tho cost of living went higher' as a consequonce', andthat in any ease it. was inadvisable to raiso wages during war time, when ab> normal increases in prices were being experienced. The Court, Having ovidontly considered the matter, decided to grant a war bonus of 10 per cent, to the lowerpaid workers,' and iu its momorandum suggested '"that employers generally might well consider whether workers m their employ should not be granted a war bonus on tho same lines as that contained in this award." Tho lead this given has been followed by many employers, with the result that, whilo a great many disputes have been dealt with under tho Act during the past year, tho indications are that, during tho contmuanco of the war, they will bo considerably tower in number.. Tsrmorlal Camps. When tho decision of the Dofence Department to hold Territorial camps this year became known, representations were made to tho Advisory Board that in consequence of so many employees having enlisted, it would entail groat hardship on certain trades and businesses if still more workers were to bo drawn from their employment during tho period ol annual training. Upon the matter being referred to Detenco quarters a conference was ar r ranged, when it was submitted by the officers of the Goneral Staff that it would be dangerous to break into tho workings ot the Territorial scheme by refraining from holding tho camps oven for ono year. Besides which, Jt was expected that tho training camps would prove very valuablo as recruiting ceutres for tho Expeditionary Forces. 'An undertaking waß givon that no employer would be unduly inconvenienced, as extra, casual training camps would be held in order that where a number of employees of any linn were liable for training they could be called up in small numbers. After reviewing the whole position, the Advisory Board decided that it would not be advisable to raise any objection to the holduig of the camps. It is only fail- to say that the Defence Department did overything possiblo to minimise inconvenienco to employers, and that no complaints of any kind havo been received. Legislation. ■ As already indicated, thcGoverament did not attempt the introduction of now industrial legislation last session. Several private members (principally ■ those of advanced Labour views) introduced a number of measures, which, while they had little chance of passing, gave the Parliamentary Committee some anxiety during the time they appeared upon the Parliamentary Order Papers. Legislation dealing with war matters so fully occupied the attention of the members of both Houses, however, that none of tho proposals was over seriously considered, with regard to the Finance Bill matters were very different. This moasurc gave employers a considerable amount of anxiety. Acting on urgent appeals from members of the Federation throughout iSe Dominion, the Advisory Board made representations to the Minister of Finance suggesting important alterations, and set up a 6ub-cominitteo to act in conjunction, with sub-committees set up by the Chambors of Commerce and othor bodies, with the result thaE while the Bill, as it eventually passed into law, contained provisions not approved by the Advisory Board, several amendments of considerable value to tho trading community of tho Dominion were secured, tho particulars of which wero fully stated in tho Industrial Bulletin for August last. Finance. The lovics for the yoar proved sufficient for current requirements. Apart from tho trust moneys invested and the income derived from tho interest thereof, the treasurer's report, which will be presented spparatoly, shows that the balance between the ordinary incomo and expenditure is very small indeed. If thorcforo the activities of "tho Federation aro to be further extended it will ho necessary to_ increase tho levies payable by tho various employers' associations. No recommendation is made in that direction this year, as it is not doomed advisable to proposo to place any further burdens upon these bodies during tho continuance of the war. The War—and After. Tho continuance of tho great and terrible war, overshadowing as it does all elso, prevonts any comparison of the position of things at tlii6 time with thoso of past years. Tho first duty of all 'citizens of tho Empiro being to do what they can to assist in obtaining a satisfactory conclusion to the war, other matters are necessarily placod in tho background. On that account it has been found impossiblo to undertake any organising work of any importance, , so that it is a matter for congratulation to bo able to record that, gener- ! ally speaking, there is no apparent weakening of tho organisation which is '• so necessary for tho protection of employers' interests. Tho Advisory Board again appeals to employers of labour not only to maintain their own j interest in, and support of, tho several j affiliated bodies to which they belong, but to strengthen them by endeavouring to secure the inoreasod interest of , present members and an accession of v