Union Protests

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 5, 21 January 1937, Page 7

Union Protests

-Press Aseociation.j

MIMSTER & COURT Over - Riding Legislation Would be Dangerous HANDLING OF THE STRIKE

(By Telegraph-

DUNEDIN, Jan. 20. 4- direct outcome of the Minister of Labour 's handling of the freezing works dispute at Auckland over the week-end is a protest forwarded in resolution form to the Government by the executive of the Otago Private Hotelkeepers' Union of Employers. This body expresses deep concern at the possibility of the power and functions of the Arbitration Court being undermined by over-riding legislation of the kind proaiised by Mr. Armstrong to the freezing works strikers. The resoiution reads as follows: "That the Otago Private Hotelkeepers' Industrial Union of Employers expresses its concern at the intention of the Government, as publicly expressed by the Minister of Labour, to over-ride if necessary a decision of the Court of Arbitration, as such action would undoubtedly create a dangerous precedent for subsequent abrogation of the court 's decisions, which have heretofore been without appeal, and would disorganise industry by creating uncertainty with regard to conditions of employment, even if laid down by the court." Commenting on the situation to the "Otago Daily Times" to-day, the president of the Otago union, ,Mr. O. R. Williamson, said that the statements made by Mr. Aroistrong were particularly disturbing to private hotel employers as only recently hours, wages and conditions of employment in theirindustry were finalised. Proprietors were now settling down to xeadjust working conditions and tariffs where necessary to meet the changed condir tions, but in the face of Mr. Armstrong 's statements that amending legislation would be introduced into Parliament which would over-ride the Arbitration Court 's decisions ln another industry, the future was full of uncertainty. The Arbitration Court had been reinstated by the present Government at the request of the workers and the workers should loyally accept the court 's decisions. The Minister of Labour 's promise to introduce special legislation to over-ride those decisions was a dangerous precedent as the strength of the Arbitration Court had always lain in the finality of its decisions, there being no right of apr peal by law, but that strength was now going to be undermined by the Government itself.