INDUSTRIAL PEACE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10613, 11 June 1920, Page 4

INDUSTRIAL PEACE

MUTUAL ENDEAVOUR JUSTICE AND FATE DEALING ESSENTIAL. IMPORTANT SLVIGESTIONS. The special meeting of the New Zea» laud Employers’ Federation, convened for the purpose of considering the best means to adopt for promoting industrial peace was continued yesterday. Alter further discussion a subcommittee was set up to crystallise the opinions of the delegates, and its report, as adopted, is expressed in the tollowing recommendations: It will be observed that the desire of the federation is to encourage the development of more intimate and friendly relations between employers and workers by setting up shop committees, or by the adoption of some of the other suggestions in clause 2. EDUCATIONAL. The federation believes that the same object will he promoted by encouraging educational work in the various establishments, and feels assured that a considerable proportion of workers will welcome and appreciate a movement in this direction. PROFIT SHARING AND PAYMENT BY RESULTS.

The adoption of profit sharing is advocated by many who desire to secure the best, moans of promoting industrial peace, and has to bo considered in connection with any scheme having that purpose in view. It is in operation in a number of industries in Great Britain and America; it is also being tried in New Zealand, and it is hoped shortly to publish particulars of some of the schemes now in operation in the Dominion.

It must be quite evident that only by more production can more pay bo secured and permanent purchasing power obtained. Any system adopted, must however, provide absolute _ protection for the employee, and this can be best secured by the employers and workers concerned agreeing a* to the basis of payment. It is believed that a system of payment by results will be found applicable to many manufacturing and other classes of businesses, and would have the result of substantially increasing the earnings of the workers without any increase in the cost ■ of production and without increasing the soiling price to the consumer. The adoption of any- such system, however, requires the reasonable cooperation of the trades unions, _ which would involve a full recognition _hy employers of trades union organisations and agreement by those unions to the principle. of payment by reLsults, with no limitation of output in the factories and workshops of the Dominion.

The adoption of some such system would also encourage the setting up of workshop committees, the settlement of purely local matters of difference by agreement on many points without infringing in any way upon any award or agreement governing the industry. \ GENERAL.

It must bo apparent, however, that it is not by the adoption of any particular system or systems of work that industrial pcacei will be attained*. That can only he secured by a full recognition by both employers and employees that justice and fair dealing promoted by full and 'free discussion between employers and their workers, is the only foundation on which industrial peace can be established. At the conclusion, the chairman, Mr A. C Mitchell, congratulated the delegates on tho results of their discussions, and expressed the hope that their efforts, directed along, the lines indicated, would help to create a better understanding between tho cmplovcrs and the workers. Votes of thanks to' the chairman, the secretary (Mr William Pryor), and the officials of the federation, concluded tho business. ,