WAGE DISPUTE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 March 1943, Page 4

WAGE DISPUTE

NATIONAL BOARD TO HEAR [ EVIDENCE. CANADIAN STEEL WORKERS. OTTAWA, February 18. The reconstituted National War Labour Board opens formal hearings this coming week into the wage dispute which led to the recent steel workers’ strike. The steel workers’ union has applied for the recognition of basic steel production as a national industry thus bringing it within the jurisdiction of the National Board instead of regional boards. Later, the board will also deal with cost of living bonuses and with an application for the upward adjustment of wage groups above the minimum. In its new form the National War Labour Board will be more in the nature of an Industrial Court than was the old board. The membership is reduced from twelve to three, namely Justice C. P. McTague, of the Supreme Court of Ontario, chairman; Senator Joseph Bench, Toronto, representing the employers; and J. L. Cohen, Toronto', representing the employees. In a statement on the new. board’s functions Justice McTague says: “While the board hopes to establish a consistent jurisprudence and by public hearings and published judgments and reasons to acquaint the public fully with the principles upon which the board proceeds in applying the wages order, much as would be the case if we were a Court of Industrial Relations, we feel that we should state at the outset that it is our understanding that neither the Government nor the text of the order which we now are charged with administering, expects or requires a legalistic or narrow technical approach, particularly in cases where, by comparison with others, or having regard to standards reasonably necessary for a proper livelihood or maintenance of proper morale, wage rates are inadequate or depressed. It is our view that the order contemplates that the board will correct such injustices in so far as they come before the board and are included in its scope. By the same token it is our view that the order as a war time measure does not contemplate changes in wages or working conditions which do not find their justification in the correction of improper or depressed conditions.”