BUILDING TRADES

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 58, 2 December 1926, Page 12

BUILDING TRADES

! -SCHEME TO RAISE STANDARD OF WORK SUGGESTED NATIONAL COUNCIL REGISTRATION OF MASTERS AND MEN t Dominion Special. • Auckland, December 1. In August representatives of various trades In the building industry, employers and employees, met at the invitation i of the Auckland Guild of Master Painters to consider the need for a system ■ which would give protection to the '■ trades in the industry and at the same time raise the standard of work. The system suggested by the master painters was one of registration for all employers and employees in the trades comprising the building industry. Several meetings of the representatives i were held, and after general views had been ascertained a committee was

set up to formulate more definite proposals. These proposals were in turn submitted. to the various unions of employ- ( ers and employees, and a further meeting of representative* was held last evening to receive reports from unions ; concerning the proposals and to decide ’ on future action. i Mr. Rowley (Secretary of Labour), who happened to bo visiting Auckland, attended the meeting, and discussed the proposals with the delegates, more parI ticularly as to the effect the proposals, t if adopted, would have upon the Apprenticeship Act. Mr. Rowley • suggested ■ several amendments to the proposals, and expressed his general approval ot them. , The meeting decided to send copies of the proposals to all unions of employers and employees in the building industry in New Zealand, suggesting that if the proposals should meet with I approval a national conference be held ' ’ early in the New Year to settle detai s 1 and’arrange for placing the proposals before Parliament to get its approval of necessary legislation. The proposals include a recommenclation that the industry should combine for the purpose, of getting Parliament ! to enact a measure setting up for the building industry a national industrial < council, the council to include all trades ■ I in the industry to which a period of apprenticeship has to be served, and i the council to bo composed of represen- ! tatives of unions of employers and employees in the industry in equal numi bers, with power to co-operate with experts and with Government representatives. The duty of the council would . be: — . I (1) To promote continuous and progressive improvement of the industry and to advance the well-being and sta- ■ tus of all connected with it. (2) To arrange for and carry out the ' -registration of all now engaged in the industry, employers and employees, and - to provide that no person be in futuie admitted to registration m the imlustiy as an employer or employee unless he ‘ shall have first satisfied the council in 1 a manner to be hereafter provided as to his fitness for admission to tlie ind'Jl) ? Registration to be granted i to all who on the passing of ithe Act have been engaged in tlie industry in New Zealand. for the six I months immediately preceding, and. who shall apply for such registration within sk months after the passing of such 1 Act, and, thereafter, no person to be admitted unless he can produce from the Apprenticeship Committee of the trade and district or such other tribunal as the council may appoint a certificate of his competency for admission, a probation period of cne monrn to be allowed to tradesmen arriving in New Zealand from other countries. (4) To gather statistics concerning the Industry so as to bo able to provide continuous employment for all in tne i industry. . . ... (5) To arrange m conjunction with apprenticeship committees and technical schools adequate facilities for technical training for members of the industry. the improvement of processes, ' design and standards of workmanship, apprenticeship research and regulation of the conditions of entry into the inI dustry; (6) publicity to issue informni tion upon all matters concerning Hie i industry. , , , The council would set up. district councils and local councils similar to the existing apprenticeship committee. I It would seek the assistance of trade 1 /unions and employers' associations, in fact, any person or organisation which could provide assistance or put. forward ■ suggestions enabling the council better to carry out its functions.