Scrap the Arbitration Act.

Progress, Volume XV, Issue 12, 1 August 1920, Page 866

Scrap the Arbitration Act.

A Drastic Proposal. The Hon. J. MacGregor gave notice in the Legislative Council of the following motion:— "That in the opinion of this Council (1) the system of State regulation of industry under the provisions of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, 1908, and its amendments neither fosters genuine trade unionism nor promotes true conciliation nor prevents strikes, nor tends in any way to improve the relations between Capital and Labour. (2) The time has come when the whole subject of the relations between Capital and Labour must be looked at from an entirely different point of view and dealt with in finite a different manner; and in order to enable the Government, members of Parliament, and industrial unions, trade unions and associations of employers to reconsider the whole subject and avail themselves of 'the knowledge derived from the study, investigation and experience of other countries, a short Act

should be passed this session repealing the Act and making provision for the following objects:—

“(a) For continuing in force until December 31, 1921, all awards of the Court of Arbitration and all industrial agreements in force on the date of the passing of such Act; (b) for empowering the Board of Trade, upon the Government Statistician reporting to it that there has been a serious rise in the cost of living, to make an order, to be published in the Gazette, increasing the rate of wages fixed by all or any of such awards or industrial agreements on the principles laid down by the Court of Arbitration; (c) for vesting in the Supreme Court all the judicial powers and jurisdiction now exercisable by the Court of Arbitration, either under the provisions of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act or under the Workers’ Compensation Act; (d) for empowering the Minister of Labour to summon mandatory conferences to deliberate upon the subject of the relations between Capital and Labour, such conferences to comprise representatives of the consumers, of industrial unions and trade unions and associations of employers, and for empowering the Governor-in-Council to make regulations for the election of such representatives, for the appointment of a chairman of any such conference, and generally for the conduct of the proceedings.”