UNIONS AND GUILDS

Evening Post, Issue 126, 29 May 1936, Page 11

UNIONS AND GUILDS

THE EXISTING LAW

MINISTER'S ATTITUDE

INDUSTRIAL MEASURES

"We : have got to stop these things happening in the future, and I think we can make it. retrospective," the Minister of Labour (the Hon, H. T. Armstrong) stated yesterday, when replying to ■•£ deputation from the New Zealand Alliance of Labour and the Trades and: Labour Council, after it had been claimed/that'some persons were taking action under .some existing Acts to undermine the. Government's industrial legislation. The deputation was received by the' Minister, the Prime Minister (the Rt; H0n.,.-M. ■J. Savage), and the--Minister of Education and Health (the Hon. P. Fraser). ■ Mr. F. P. Walsh, vice-president of the Alliance of Labour, said that they had found that it was possible under existing legislation for guilds to be formed, and they submitted that the actions of some employers were undermining the legislation of the-Government. Mr. P.,.M., Butler, secretary of the Wellington District Council of . the 'Alliance .of Labour, referred to the work done, by the(Government since ■ assuming; office, but-added that there were certain things that they, were ■worried,,about. .They realised .that much had been done, but there were points in 'the Trades Unions Act and the Labour Disputes Investigation Act that; could wreck the legislation brought-down by the Government. The organised workers were safe, but action would have-to be taken .to: enable the unorganised'\vbrkers to secure a decent standard of. living. Mr. Butler outlined the, action-that ..had been taken in ' some cases to v'.avpidr the organisation made possible 'by' the .Government." ' . ... Messrs. •J. Head,: president' of ■': the Trades arid Labour Goiihcil,"and lirl J' Tucker,-secretary of ,the Warehouse^ men's Employees'Union,-also sp'oke'on the;.needJ-f6r legislation to. protect the jvorkers:further.-,,: .' ;; .-.-' -.■ ■-..-"-. ■ V .TpEvMUaSTEK'S-ATOraTCDE. V -' MnAimstrbrigVsaidthatthe Gov.ernJnent had made provision' for unions to register under the Trades Unions lAct, w.hich gave them the same protection as tinions, registered^ under", the Arbitration Act. However, they Had not gone very far before others had advised the, guilds v to, register,., under the, Trades Union Act'and then'become inactive. There was.one clause in that Act which enabled private agreements .toi'be:.mader and'registered,:. and'hobody had a say in it. A secret conference could be held by: a- few workers and the employers, 'and ■an ; agreement signed and registered, and the workers in the industry, would be bound by it Without being-consulted. ; "We have got to t stop these things happening in the future, and I think we can make it retrospective," said the Minister. "These fake agreements can be made null and void, and'l think it is the duty of the Government to do so, to' see,that schemers do not defeat the objects we have set out to obtain." The ..Minister. added that he was aware of some of the things '^hat :had been going on, and he intended to bring the,matter before Cabinet to get authority-to'proeeedrin.'. the:direction indicated by the deputation. It might be possible to, do something in the Finance Bill'which was to-be'pre'sented shortly.'"- ■'■•..;;.>.-.:•".•• '.'.::";■.■.:;..;.■. . V -■.',im. ; .SAVAGE" JPLEASED.: ■ The Prime Minister said that -he was pleasedithe-Trades and Labour Council and the (Alliance pf^Labour were waiting; upon, them . as.-i -.deputation1 with one. aim-in view. Members of the Government had.been all over'the country-telling; the people how'they were:going.. to benefit by the modern machine age, and they, were out to better. conditions generally. "We want to get the benefit of machinery and science," said Mr. Savage. "If we find 'someone running us into a blind alleyway, he is not going to keep us there verys long.- It will take some time before we see the real effect of things. That word 'retrospective' appeals to me at times. Wherever It is necessary to make any law retrospective to cover breaks, it will be flone." .-,. . . ■."; Referring to those who had ■ ibee'n attempting to' form guilds, Mr. Savage said that these people could not be surprised if a Bill were brought down to frustrate' ttioif attempts to defeat the Government. The Government would da anything alpng those lines that was necessary. ' "-•'■:-.: ~-■.. ;>:. ■'~-,■ "I simply':tell you" quite -. frankly^" said' Mr.. Savage,' in conclusion;- vthat; anythingrliiecessary.' 'to improve the legislation; still further,', and to safeguard what we have Already done, is going to'beVdone; whether we' begin this week'or next'month;. They are not getting 'away-with' anything.:■" We will, coyer'the whole ground by retrospective legislation." •■ ' .••-'.-: