INDUSTRIAL CONFERENCE

Hokitika Guardian, 18 May 1928, Page 1

INDUSTRIAL CONFERENCE

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.)

WELLINGTON. Alay 17

No agreement lias been reached by the National Industrial Conference in regard to the I.C. and A. Act. AA’lien the conference resinned this morning, a report was submitted Ivy tlie joint special committee to the effect that it bad been unable to arrive at an unanimous recommendation.

The vital point of difference between the two parties was the question of optoimil or compulsory reference of disputes to tlie Court or other tribunal for filial settlement, the employers’ section contending for the optional system, and the employees’ section wishing to maintain the present system of compulsory reference to the Court. Each side submitted detailed proposal in regard to the amendment of tho Act.

EMPLOYERS’ ATTITUDE. The employers recommended that there should be provision for third party representation before Counciliation Councils and Court ; that the number of assessors on Conciliation Councils should be increased from three to four in local disputes, and from six to seven in Dominion disputes; that where the assessors fail to agree, a dispute should he referred to the Court, if three of tlie four assessors on..each side in a district dispute, or five of the seven in a Dominion dispute, should consent, provided that in the ease of tho Council finding difficulty in reaching agreement; a direction might be obtained from the Court in regard to wages and hours; that a majority of assessors should have power to adjourn conciliation proceedings, if an adjournment would assist towards a settlement ; that in cases where a strike or lock-out was likely, the Judge of the Court shall have power to summon the parties together, with tlie object of securing a settlement; that provision be made for tlie registration of tlie National Union of workers. Tlie employers further recommended that there should ho provision for settin<c up of an industrial committee to deal with disputes and other matters and that every agreement or award should contain a provision that in the event of the employers and employees agreeing, work should be paid for under a system of piecework or J‘ontin place of under-time payments. Placing before the conference, the employers’ recommendations for an amendment to the I.C.A. Act - H Bishop expressed the opinion that the Arbitration Act was an'attempt to do the impossible. Tlie whole of the clauses of the report had been framed with flie object of substituting optional for compulsory arbitration, and protecting those organisations which had grown up under the compulsory system. and might find themselves in a difficulty if that protection were taken from them. AVORKERS’ report.

The workers submitted that in regard to settlement of disputes, these be submitted to the Arbitration Court, where a Conciliation Council agreement was not reached; that in industries where there are local agreements, or awards, district committees might be set up with similar powers to the national committees; that awards should include provision to set up advisory committees, representing em,clovers and employees, which . should have power to consider and decide any new matter which any party to an award might submit, make recommendations to the Court, and report to the Employment Board, on the state of employment and prospects thereof m trade or industry. They further submitted that provision he made for the registration of national unions of employers and workers, also Dominion awards. It should be obligatory before""a strike: or lockout to submit the matter m dispute to the National Disputes Committee, the

decision of such committee to be binding.

The submissions also provide for the setting up of Dominion Industrial Committees with power to make agreements. Mr Blood worth moved the adoption of tho reports. AH Poison, seconding, agreed with Mr Bloodworth it was a great disappointment that an unanimous report had not been presented. Ho was an optimist and still believed if their minds were set to it they could come to a settlement. Tho subject was the great question 1 before tlie conference and if a satisfactory conclu.sion was come to, lie believed there would he industrial peace for a quarter of a century. After a short discussion, the reports were adopted. It was resolved that it be a suggestion from the conference that the representatives of parties concerned in the Factories Act and Shops and Offices Act meet and discuss such amendments which they deemed advisable to those amendments, with a view to making joint representation to the Government.