SHEARING RATES

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 281, 22 July 1932, Page 6

SHEARING RATES

WORKERS' UNiON INSTRUCT3 SHEARERS TO RESIST LOW WAGES. CONFERENCE THIS MONTH. The New Zealand Workers' Union, Jirough its general secretary, Mr. A. Cook, is advising shearers and shedhands to demand not less than the 193 L minimum award rates before stxrting work in the coming season. "Your umon has already given the matt'er very careful consideration, md has no hestication in recommend.lig that not less than the 1931 award rates should confcinue in operation for ;he 1932 shearing," states Mr. Cook .n a general satement he has issued .o work u's in this field. Mr. Cook continues: "The Sheepowners'- Federation has appi-oached the New Zealand "Workers' Union for a conference, and that conJerence will take place toward the end of Juiy. If no agreement is arrived it, the dispute will be referred to Ihe Conciliation Council. When your representatives meet the shepowners, uvei-y endeavour will be made to arrive ai a satisfactory agreement, but uncler no circumstances w 11 the union be prepared to accept a further wage reduction. Should there be no agreement arrived at in conference with the employers, or before the Concilialion Council, the dispute may be referred for settlement to the Arbitration Court (but that can only be dorie .vith ihe consent of the employers' as..essors). "Luirmg last session of Parliament, mainly through the instigaticn of the Sheepowners' Federation, the Government amended the Industrial Concilza..on and Arbitration Act that now providis for compulsory conciliation and voluntary arbitration. This means Jiat should no settl'ement be arrived at before the Conciliation Council, and the employers' asseesors refuse to al1 .ow the dispoite to go to the Arbitra.ion Court for settlement, then, after one monh has ulapsed, the old award .vili go out of existence. This in all yrobability will occur, but not with he consent of the union, as the union s going to use every endeavour to ibtain a new award, but if we are irevented by the employers from dong so, it is then the shearing industry vorkers v/ill be called upon to make a rtand for decent conditions, namely, •othing less than the 1931 award ates."