EMPLOYERS' LABOUR BUREAU.

Otago Witness, Issue 2814, 19 February 1908, Page 38

EMPLOYERS' LABOUR BUREAU.

A NOVEL PROPOSAL.

(Fbom Ovr Own Cobkespondkwt.) "WELLINGTON, February 14. A delegate brought under the notice of the Tiades Council at last night's meeting the following circular letter recently issued by the Employers' Association : — " A general meeting of employers of labour will be held in the boaTd room of the association on Monday, 27th inst., at 8 p.m., to consider proposals to establish a bureau under the control of employers, through which all classes of labour might be employed. Many advantages would be 6ecured by such an institution, amongst which the following are important : — '■ 1. The keeping of an index of ■workers, containing records of their capabilities and characters, available for inspection byemployers. , '2. It is suggested that certificates do issued to each worker leaving his or her employment by their last employer. Their re-employment will depend upon the nature of the certificates held by them. '• 3. It is intended to secure for employers through the use of the bureau as complete inftnunitv from prosecutions for breaches of the preference clauses of the Arbitration Court awards as possible, as it would bo the duty of the secretary of the bureau to see that all awa-rd conditions were compiled with before recommending a. worker for engagement. i "1. The charges to employers will ;b© made as low as possible consistent with efficiency. "5. It is exoected that wc-keTs on* of employment will readily report themselves to the bureau, as it is proposed to make the bureau free to them. "6. All classes of workers will be dealt with, and if employers will give the T"H v . c " ment the support it deserves, the establishment of the bureau will mean the saving of much time, expense, and annoyance to them. '•You are cordially invited and urged to nttend the meeting and come prepared io fully discuss tl-e proposals to be submitted. "Yours faithfully, A. W. Grenfell, Secretary." The contents of the circular did not (says the Post) meet with the approval oMhe delegates at last night's mettinfr. While giving the Employers' Association credit for devibins such schemes " io defeat organised labour," as it was termed, the meeting considered the Trades Council should take some action to protect the interests of union labour, and many suggestions were offered. One delegate, discussing the ciieular, said he had for some time hoen conversant with the gist of the proposal* of the employers as sent out in the oiroular. The schemo, he alleged, had originated with the Licensed Victuallers' Association, which had thoroucrhlv discussed it at the last conference. He appealed to dploeates to guard themselves against, the possibilities of an employers' Labour agency. Already, ho asserted, the harmful nature of such an. institution was much in evidencp in Lhristohurch. whero the licensed victuallers of that c-itv were fast fretting control of the market for hotel and restaurant employment. In Chrustchurch to-day, the speaker said "it wa« almost impossible to get a imb 'at the hotels unless it was Pocurod Throueh the affency of the association ' The proposal of Ihe employers, if earned into effect would, he contended, gup unlimited chances of " black-listiner,'' aixl afford a big loophole for the defeat of t'-e preference clause of the -various awards. "There are two moves which I commend to the council." said another delegate^ "to combat such a scheme as suggested by tho employers of the Dominion organised labour must persistency fight for two great reforms— viz., legislative compulsory prefer* ence to unionists and State and munioipallv controlled labour bureaux." He added that he would specially draw- delegates' attention to clause 3of the circular. I* was an insidiously- worded proposal, and workers would realise that one of the main objects of the aeeney would he to defeat the preference clause. It was at a late hour when the circular was introduced, and the council was not then disnosed to go fully into the matter of it. The meeting, hqwever, decided to hand the circular over to the executive, with the suggestion that it should receive careful consideration.