Since the end of the 1951 industrial strife in N.Z., and the resulting General Election, there has been no serious industrial trouble.
The Government, as soon as it settled down, lost no time in bringing down measures placing more restrictions on Trade Union activities.
One of the first things to be dealt with, and no doubt, the most important to the legislators, were the recommendations of the Royal Commission, set up to investigate the Parliamentary salaries and allowances of the Prime Minister, Cabinet Ministers, Under-Secretaries, the Leader of the Opposition, and Members of Parliament.
The plight of the politicians was such that the Royal Commission recommended substantial rises in their salaries.
For example, ordinary Members of Parliament received per year £500 plus £250 tax-free allowance; the new rise will give them £900, tax-free allowance will vary between £250 and £550 according to classification of the electorates. The recommendations of the Commission were adopted. No passionate speeches were recorded from politicians exhorting them to "go easy on their wage demands," "that the finances of the country will not stand the strain of further wage rises.”
However, the Federation of Labour has asked for a general order to raise wages by £1 19s. a week. The Public Service Association has asked for a pay rise of £100 a year for 30,000 State employees. Unlike the politicians these workers are not in a position to vote themselves a rise in pay. But then, they have the glorious uncertainty of the outcome of the long and tedious debate on whether a wage rise is warranted, or, should the Court grant an increase, how much will be whittled off their original demand. We wonder when they will wake up and demand the abolition of the wages system altogether.
In spite of the Nationalist Party’s pre-election promise to abolish compulsory unionism, the clause providing for secret ballots of members of unions on compulsory unionism, was deleted from the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill.
It seems the pleas of the officials of the Federation of Labour and the Employers' representatives must have convinced the Prime Minister, Mr. S. G. Holland, of the usefulness of compulsory unionism to the employers.
The following statement is reported in the Evening Post, Wellington, 19/10/1951:-
“ 'The Federation of Master Builders is shocked at the Minister of Labour's persistence in pursuing the question of the abolition of compulsory unionism, especially when the recent waterfront dispute has shown most people that this would be sheer folly,” said the President of the Federation (Mr. R. C. Savory) in Rotorua to-day.”
The proposal to reduce subsidies has also suffered a shock. The present Government, soon after taking office in 1949, reduced subsidies to annual rate of £5,500,000. According to the 1951 Budget, the upward trend of prices has caused subsidies to reach the annual rate of £18,000,000.
Another example of “politicians propose, economic conditions dispose.”
The Police Offences Amendment Bill caused such a stir that the Statutes Revision Committee made 50 amendments to it. With all its amendments it still places trade unions and other working-class organisations in a legislative strait-jacket. If the repressive measures brought down force the workers to study Socialism and seek the intelligent way out, they will have done some good. But, it seems the workers are hogs for punishment.
Overseas Secretary, S.P.N.Z.
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