New Zealand Employers' Federation.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 69, 5 July 1912, Page 6

New Zealand Employers' Federation.

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(important Informa

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APPRENTICE CLAUSE,

[n awards where apprenticeship clauses a ie compulsory, the following'provisions should bo secured:

An employer taking an apprentice to learn the. trade or any branch of it as earned on by the employer shall be deemed to undertake the duty which he agreed to perform as a duty enforceable undi'i this award., and shall pay such apprentice not loss than tho undermentioned rates of wage?, viz.:

(b) Tlie period of apprenticeship shall 1* years, but three months' probation Hiiall bo allowed tho employer of any apprentice to determine his fitness, such throe months to be included in the period of apprenticeship. The oblipatinn of the apprentice to serve tlie employer ."ball bo deemed a duty enforceable under this award.

(<•) At the cud of the period of apprenticeship the employer shall give the apprentice a certificate to show that he has served his apprenticeship. Should tlie employer at any time before the termination of the apprenticeship wish for any reason to dispense with the service of the apprentice, he shall give him a certificate for the time served and procure him another employer carrying on business within reasonable distance of the original employer's place of business, who will continue to teach the apprentice, to pay him the wages proscribed by this award according to the total length of tune he has served, and generally to perform the obligation of the original employer: Provided that it shall not be obligatory upon an employer to bud the appientice another employer if he shall so misconduct himself as to entitle the employer to discharge him. but he shall give him a certificate covering the time actually served. (d) An employer taking an apprentice shall give notice thereof, and of the name, of the apprentice, to the Inspector of Factories, within one week after the expiration of' tlie period of probation. and any employer transferring- an apprentice to another employer shall similarly within cue week thereof give notice of such transfer to such inspector. (o) An employer shall not he deemed to discharge his duty towards his apprentice it he fails to keep him at wovk owing to slackness of trade., but such slackness may form a proper ground (or transferring him to a master willing to undoi take the responsibility of leaching him. (f) When an apprentice is dis-' charged for cause, the employer shall. send notice of the discharge- and the cause thereof to tlie Inspector of Factories. (g) Existing arrangemenl.s with or re-, lating to apprentices now sewing any employer may continue, providing that an employer wishing such arrange -n/iits to continue shall forward the names'of h-- present apprentices to the Inspector of Factories within one month after the filing of this award. (if) Tho employment of apprentices shall be deemed to he a weekly employment, and no deduction shall be made except- for the time lost through the worker's illness or default, or on account of t'ne temporary closing of the factory for cleaning or repairing the machinery. I.MPIIOVF.RS. An apprentice, after serving his apprenticeship, may be employed as an improver, at the rate of not less than per hour for one year after the expiration of his apprenticeship, and (hen.'after for another year at the rate of not less: than per hour. Note.—Owing to i lie fact that unions often oppose ihe granting of undor-nite permits to youths who have served their apprenticeship, bill who have not tho ability to earn the minimum wage, it is desirable, wherever feasible, to endeavor to get an improver's clause inserted. The importance of providing a term for improvers has been recognised by the court, and provision-has hern made in awards accordingly. FOUFMAX. Wherever necessary, a clause should he insist'd upon exempting foremen and

Model Award Conditions.

Conduct of Industrial Disputes.

:ion for Employers.)

.members of employers' families from the operations of the awards.

PREFERENCE TO UNIONISTS

The Federation is strongly of opinion 'that employers should oppose preference wherever practicable. In cases, howover, where preference has already been granted, and opposition to its'continuance is considered futile, employe** should use every effort to have ono or other of the following clauses adopted. On no account whatever should any other form of pi-eiorenoe be conceded or ; agreed to:

(1) If and so long as the rules of the union shall permit any workers of sober habits and good character to become members of the union upon payment of an entrance fee not exceeding os. and of subsequent contributions, whether

payable weekly or net. not exceed

(kl. per \\e--k, upon applies*ion of tlw person so desiring te join the union, without ballot or ethe<- election, then, and in such ease, employe! s shall, when engaging a worker, employ lneinlvors of the union in preference to non-members. Provided that niiioii" applicants there are members of tho union equally competent with non-members to perform the particular work required to he done and ready"and willing to undertake it. The employer shall be- in all eases the sole judge of the qualitieatii.ns of the worker. OR el) (a) In the event of any employer hereinaflor engaging any worker who shall not be a member of the union, and who within one calendar month after his or her engagement shall not become a member of the union, the employer shall dismiss such worker from his service if reqttiri d to do so by the union : Provided there is then a member ot'-the union who, in the opinion of the employer, is equally qualified to perform the particular work required lo he done and ready and willing to undertake the same.

(b) The provisions of the fore ..5,0111,12; clause shall operate if and only so lone; as the rules of the union shall permit any person of good character and sober habits to become a member of the union upon payment of an en! ranee fee not exceeding os. upon written or verbal application v, iihou! ballot or oilier election and to continue a member upon payment of subsequent contributions not exceeding Cd. per week.

Note.--'rite attention of employers is directed to the fact that the rules of a number of trades unions contain provisions for imposing heavy fines upon members who—-(n) Retire from mom-