IMPORTANT POINT

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 36, 13 February 1933, Page 9

IMPORTANT POINT

QUESTION OF PIECEWORK

COACHBUILDEttS' DISPUTE

An. attempt to introduce piecework at rates of pay to be agreed upon between the employer and employee instead of, as previously, at 10 per cent, move than the ordinary wage, was made by the employers' representatives when the Wellington, coa'ehbuilders' dispute was commenced before the Conciliation Commissioner (Mr. P. Hally) this morning. Thp employees' assessors raised strong objections to the move, aud after a lengthy discussion had produced no progress the midday adjournment was taken to enable the employers to frame an alternative proposal. Speaking on behalf of the employers, Mr. "W. J. Mountjoy pointed out that the current award was made on a Dominion baeis on September 2, 1930. The Auckland employers rocently sought, a new award, but owing to tho failure to reach an agreement the award is to expire. ■. Mr. Mountjoy referred to the poor state of the industry at the present time, compared with when the current award was drawn up, and; said that if the employers were unable to secure conditions of employment which would enable work to be done at a reasonable prico which would allow competition with imported goods, many of them would have to go out of business. He submitted that the interests of tho em\ plovers and employees were not in con-' tlict. Tho employers did not desire to romovo all the workers' privileges contained in the award, b"t sought a greater measure of freedom to allow production costs to be lowered. CONTENTIOUS CLAUSE.

In putting forward the following clause, "Piecework may be worked in any'branch of the trade on rates and I conditions as agreed upon between the employer and the employees," Mr. JMountjoy said it was believed the clause would, achieve the desired object. Workmen would have greater ! opportunities to increase their earnings by producing more work in a given time than would be possible if all were working on a given hourly. Tate. Objecting to the clause on behalf of the workers, Mr. C. H. Chapman, M.P,,' said it was a retrograde, step and was contrary to the whole idea of an award. He knew of no precedent in any other award in New Zealand in which piecework was allowed under such a system, and his union was opposed to piecework unless the' extra 10 per cent, was paid. Collective bargaining in the "past had proved a good thing for both parties, and to return to bargaining between the employer and his employee would be tho same .as abolishing . the award altogether returning to the days when there were no awards. Although one employer might be prepared to give his employee fair consideration, competitors in the trade might not be so considerate, . with- the result that all would eventually be compelled to cut wages to a minimum.