Arbitration Bill

Hokitika Guardian, 7 February 1922, Page 1

Arbitration Bill

[by TELEGRAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION

WELLINGTON, Feb. 6. The Arbitration Amendment Bill has been changed somewhat by the Labour Bills Committee, but is still of a character that calls for Labour’s determined opposition. The voting power of unions in respect to the election of an Arbitration Court assessor has been changed to one vote for every 50 members up to a total of five votes. The A.S.R.S. is excluded from a vote. The law as to assessors’ qualifications is not to be changed. As regards local bodies, relief work are excluded from the operation of awards or agreements.

The Court, in the matter of amending awards and agrements as to wages is empowered, under certain conditions, to amend in any way it thinks fit the wage terms. In so doing it is to be guided by any increase or decrease in the cost of living since the half year ended September 30th., 1920 and in the economic and financial conditions affecting trade and industry in New Zealand, and all other relevant considerations, and may, by general order, make such increase or reductions in j wages as it thinks fair, having regard to a fair standard of living. No such general order shall come into force before May Ist., 1922. The Court can exclude any class of I trade or industry from any of its gen- I eral orders, either on its own volition or I application. Such applications can only J be made after the question has been I properly submitted to the decision of the Industrial Union of employers or employees, and the Court in making j special conditions under this class shall | not, states a proviso, reduce the rate I of’ remuneration of workers to a lower j wage than will in the opinion of the Court, enable such workers to main- J tain a fair standard of living.

The whole of this clause comes into operation on April Ist, 1922.

The new clause substituted for clause ten, which provided machinery for amending rates of wages will so far as can he gathered, do a.way entirely with conciliation proceedings for 18 months, and place all power of dealing with awards in the hands of the Arbitration Court on its own motion, without hearing the parties concerned. Apparently, the Court is given power at any time, subject to certain conditions not vet known to alter wages. j