33. Colonel THORNEasked the Minister of Munitions if he will state the reason he has issued a new statutory rule and order to govern wages in the building trade; whether the Order was issued without consultation with the national representative body of employers and workpeople set up to deal with the wages and conditions in the trade; if he is aware that employers and workpeople resent the issue of the Order; and if he proposes to take action in the matter?
§ Mr. KELLAWAYStatutory Rule and Order, 1918, No. 742, was issued to provide that Government consent or sanction by arbitration shall be obtained to proposed changes in wages in the building trade on munitions work, as is the case in other munitions industries. A large proportion of building work is now being executed for or at the expense of Government Departments, which, however, were, previous to the issue of the Order, not consulted on changes in the wages in the trade. The formation of the national representative body of employers and workmen in the trade, which appears to be referred to in the question, is not as yet completed, but the existing machinery of the trade for dealing with wages and conditions, subject only to the consent or sanction above-mentioned, is preserved by the Order. No resentment has been expressed to the Department.
Colonel THORNEHas there been any protest from the workers' organisations or from the employers' side, in consequence of this Order being issued without consultation with those concerned?
§ Mr. KELLAWAYI have made inquiries, and can trace no such representation.