TAXI DRIVERS

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 43, 14 November 1940, Page 5

TAXI DRIVERS

Not To Get Increased Wages

COURT’S DECISION

Reserved judgment, of the Court of Arbitration has been delivered by Mr. Justice Tyndall, granting an application for the exclusion of workers employed under the New Zealand 'I axi Drivers’ Award from l tie operation of the general order of Lite Court made in August for an increase of a ]x:r cent, in wages to meet the increased cost of living. The grounds staled iu the application were: (.1.) That the New Zealand Taxi Drivers’ Award was made less than three months ago and there was no justification for increasing the wages then fixed by the Court because (a) Hie said wages were fair taking into account the wages then being paid, the nature of the work, the amount, ot idle time, and the effect of unregulated competition, and (l>) any increase m the said wages would seriously prejudice the future of the industry.; (2) that l he financial position -of the industry rendered it impossible to carry any further increases in overhead without increases in price, which were not practicable. “In connexion with the second ground,” the judgment states, "the applicants at the hearing stressed the difficulties affecting the industry as a result of petrol restrictions and also elaborated on the .unregulated competition brought about by the existence of the owner-driver system. Evidence was tendered which definitely confirmed the contentions that employers in the industry were being handicaplied by the present petrol restrictions. These restrictions arc in operation principally because of conditions pievailing overseas. Employers bound by the New Zealand Taxi Drivers’ Award fall into iwo main classes, first, companies, firms o.r individuals who- own vehicles and employ drivers to dr.it e them for the whole of the time during which they are used, and secondly, owner-drivers who drive the vehicles themselves for one shift and employ drivers to drive the same vehicles on a second shift. So far it has been customary for the petrol allowance for the second shift above referred to, to be fixed at an appreciably lower quantity than for the other shift. The greater portion of the taxi business of the country is undertaken by ownerdrivers who do not employ other drivers and consequently are not concerned in the award. As a result of these circumstances, employers bound by the award tire subject to particularly difficult competitive conditions. Further, till quite recently, the workers in this industry had been without an award for a number of years and while the Court, in making the new award fixed a rate of wage which in its opinion compared reasonably with the remuneration enjoyed by drivers of vehicles in other industries, nevertheless that rate was appreciably above the rate which the employers had been obliged to pay in the past under the Taxi-cab Regulations.

“Taking all factors which affect, the economy of the industry into consideration the majority of the Court is of the opinion that the workers should be excluded from the operation of the general order.” In a dissenting opinion, Mr. A. L. Monteith, workers’ representative on the Court, said: “I think that the workers should receive the same treatment as other workers. Even since this application was made increases in fares have been granted in some centres, and an extension in petrol allowance has been made. It has to be remembered that the weekly hours are long and I think these workers sjiould hold their relative position ,in connexion with their standard of living.” Judgments refusing two other applications are given on page 7.