ARBITRATION LAW AMENDMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 23 August 1927, Page 4

ARBITRATION LAW AMENDMENT

INI PORTAXT PROVISION'S FORESHADOWED. WELLINGTON. Aug. 23. Seune important and tar-reaching changes in the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act will be rmtile if Parliament adopts the amending Bill which is to be brought down this ession. The Bill is still being considered by the Government, and although no olfieinl information is available as to till 1 exact nature of the contemplated changes, there are grounds for believing that it will provide for payment on the piece-work priiieiplo, with a fixed minimum wage, and for a change in the constitution of the Arbitration Court. The stiimliiiiig-biock to the general

introduction of payment by results litis been the attitude of official Labour as represented by the unions, although it is common knowledge that many ot the men prefer the system under which the speedy and careful worker receives more than the man of merely average ability. The view of the officials has been that men who. although they are worth employment, are not blessed with the mental and physical capabilities of tln-ir neighbours, would not be able to earn a. decent living wage in competition wit'n last-piece workers, and because of litis they have always held out for a regular minimum wage.

PAYMENT BY RESULTS. It is said this difficulty may be overcome by including in this year’s amending: Hill n c-tnn.se providing for payment by results, and also for the fixing or a minimum week I v wage based on the amount which the average worker in the industry concerned might earn under the piece-work system. It Is anticipated that the Bill will contain a (ihu.se to this effect, and that it will meet with the approval of the La hour Opposition in tho House.

PREFERENCE BY CONSENT. Tlte attention which has been lociissed recently on the preference to unionists clauses in tho Act is expected to *>c reflected on the Bill, hut not to the extent that preference will be abolished. The change that is considered likely is one providing for preference by consent, that is, both parties to an industrial dispute will have to agree that dm unionists shall he preferred when there are vacancies before the clause will be included in the award. It is expected, however, that when tho Bili' comes before the House the opponents to preference will make an effort to have it abolished altogether. CONSTITUTION OF COURT.

Tt. is probable that the Bill will seek to alter the constitution of the Arbitration Court bv making the personnel three Judges of the Supreme Court Risk ad of one Judge, and a representative each of the employers ami employees, as now obtains. The cause of the discontent with the present constitution r.f the Conn is said to lie in the fact, that the representatives of the <('intending parties, employer and employee. cannot, by reason of the manner of their appointment and the conditions under which they may continue to hold office, he as impartial as is desired op (lie part of a Court. Three independent Judges are considered

mere like, 1 ,- to hold the balance more evenly between Capital and Labour. EXTENSION OF BOWERS. The power ot the Court iu making its enquiries when a dispute is before it may also be extended. The Court is now more or less limited to Hie evidence which is brought before it: by the contending parlies, and it has been suggested that the liiil will give the Court power to call anv additional evidence it thinks fit, and also, if necessary, authority to consult experts in the industry concerned. Such consultation may not necessarily be by way of hearing evidence front exports thus called, bnt: the members may he permitted to discuss with tho exports in private matters on which they seek further enlightenment. A further extension of the scone of tho Court which may be made is the throwing on it the nuns of determining the ability of an industry to pay the wages sought bv the employees or suggested bv tDo cmrdovors.