LABOUR TROUBLES

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 57, 6 March 1912, Page 5

LABOUR TROUBLES

THE FSPXBATIOieS ATTITUDE. RECOGNITION DEMANDED. A COUNTER MOVEMENT. The deadlock that has been arrived at between the Federation of Labour and the City Council (with other employers of Labour) shows no sign of easing. The Federation of Labour has all along insisted on recognition of its standing as an organisation legally qualified to' make agreements mutually satisfactory to its members and to the employers. The City Council has 'been equally definite in its determination not to recognise that the Federation of Labour has any standing at aIL Tbe Federation officials have declined to nuke any further statement at to their future movements- They have placed the position before the people; their future deliberations will be conducted in secret. To-night there will be a special meeting of members of the General Labourers' Union when addresses addresses will be given by officials of the Federation Of Labour. AN IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT NEW UNION REGISTERED. UNDER ARBITRATION ACT. An important development has taken place in connection with tbe industrial trouble in Auckland, which should have a serious bearing on the present situation. This morning there was registered at the office of the Registrar of tbe Arbitration Court a new union, to be known as the Auckland and Suburban Local Bodies Labourers' Union of Workers The union is 150 strong,' and its creation will come as a set off to the Federation of Labour at the present time, since the establishment of tbe new organisation has been carried out with the utmost secrecy. At Sunday's mass meeting in tbe Opera House, the speakers made reference to meetings of loyal workers which have been bald at Grey Lynn on several occasions lately, but evidently

the progress of the movement was not known to the General Labourers' Union leaders. At any rate, no mention, was made to the possible creation .of a new union. The first meeting of loyal workers was called for last Friday week, and of this gathering the General Labourers' Union got warning, for they rolled up 150 strong, and surrounded the Grey Lym> Borough Council offices. Those responsible for the new movement had heard of the possibility of their meeting being . flooded, however, and shrewdly postponed their gathering until last Friday evening. Then 18 delegates, representing the loyal City and Grey-Lynn municipal workmen, foregathered, and went into the whole question. Mr. B. Wyman attended and explained the legal position, after which Mr. Ellis moved, and Mr. Nield seconded, "That this meeting of local bodies' workmen > resolve to ronn a union, and that ths same be registered under the Industrial, I Conciliation, and Arbitration Act"

Mr. Harvey mooed as an amendment,. "That in the opinion of this meeting the* time -is inopportune for the formation of a local bodies' employees' union." . Mr. Main seconded the amendment. This proposition was lost by 16 votes to two, and it was decided, on the motion of Mr. Ellis, seconded by Mr. MeGonnell, that the title of-the'new union be "The Auckland and Suburban Local Bodies' Labourers' Industrial Union of Workers."

The following officers wene appointed: President, Mr. W. Gtasson; vice-presi-dent, Mr. C. Xield; secretary, Mr. D. Kellher; committee, Messrs. M. Carmoody, J. Jackson, A. Bauern. On Monday evening a further meeting was held, at which the previous business was ratified, and the following resolution carried: "That this general meeting of the Auckland and Suburban Local Bodies' Labourers' Union of Workers, speciallycalled in accordance with the rnl'es for that purpose only, desires registration as an industrial union of workers under the Industrial Concilietion and Arbitration Act of 1908, and hereby authorises the officers to take the necessary steps to obtain registration of the union accordingly." The new union has had the services of Mr. J. Warren, town clerk of Grey Lynn, in assisting with the preliminary work of organisation, and at the present time the membership totals 150. As stated, the union was registered in the "Arbitration Court office this morning.

HOT TO BE COERCED.

RECOGNITION OF FEDERATION REFUSED. The Mayor of Auckland (Mr C. J. Parrl interviewed this morning by a "Star" representative, referred to ths registration of the new union and sail that the desire for a separate institution had come mainly from men who had been for many years engaged in municipal work and felt that they should not be in a position to be called out on strike and to leave tile at-any moment without a dhance of first going to the Conciliation Council or Arbitration Court. Nearly all the members of the new union were men/who did not belong to the General Labourers' Union and considered that thev would be doing better for themselves by a regular process of arbitration than by being eesoeiated with the Federation of Labour. They preferred to join in with nearly all the artisan unionists ia New Zealand in sticking to the Arbitration Act. The new Union started with a membership of 150 strong and requests had been received from other local body employees for permission to come into_£he organisation. They would have nothing to do with the Federation of Labour, realising, of course, that on the principle of general strike, which was the basis of the Federation', they could be called out at any time and leave the whole of the city services at a standstill. On the occasion of the strike three months ago, 200 of the city and Grey Lynn workers remaned loyal. They were non-unionists and were the men who were now forming this new organisation. Speaking of the trouble generally, th« Mayor said there was nothing fresh to announce. The smaller local bodies wen meeting t.vnight to consider a new schedule of wages for their employees. "As to the general position," said Mr. Parr, "I do not know what the Federa tion of Labour now wants. The Citj Council all along stated- its willing ness to meet its own men, and it hai met them and agreed upon imorovec arrangements with them. Oilier locs bodies are following suit to-night Surely, the enmloyer has a tight to eel *i» warn >*ethar, saj rn shw—si Osi

agreement with, the Federation or Labour? That, as I understand it, is what the Federation now asks—to have an agreement between. the local bodies and, the Federation. . We" bjwe" no objection at all to agreements'with our own men when they want them, but they must be agreements arranged by the regular process of the Arbitration Court. For the City Council to enter into an agreement with a body like the Federation of Labour is quite unnecessary. The City does not want it. It takes two parties to make an agreement. Moreover, we would be = tied hand and foot to syndicalism if contracts are made with the Federation of Labour, and our me* would be liable to be called out at any time on this sympathetic strike racket The City would be in a constant state of unrest:as .to its services every time that a dispute: between an employer and. the Federation took place in -any paH of New. ZealandI do not' think the Cttp m likely to be coerced into going oNt tile wing of the Federation in thk To, .say that we are opposed* ■to unionism is' nonsense. As a matter of fact* we favour unionism as adopted by. three-, quarters of the unions 'fa- New Zealand" under the Arbitration Act."

ASSISTANCE FROM THE COUNTRY. Speaking at -Sunday's - mass - meeting at !the Opera House, Mr.'Parry (vicepresident of the Federation of Labour) declared that an organiser had visited the:" King Country and enlisted the services of 300 farmers in the interest*: of the employers in the .event ©f*a . strike; Since then the story fcas- been widely circulated, and the organisation' of country assistance has been placed at the door of the Farmers' Union. Seen -by a "Star" representative this • S morning, Mr. A. Schmrtt," provincial secretary of the Union, dented" "that', • 300 farmers had been orgauise£~ih the' King Country, as stated. v At the same time, Mr. Schmitt admitted that it was ' not impossible that tbe farmera -would take action if they found it necessary to do so, in order to protect their own interests. ''l am sorry that- the name of the Farmers' Union has been brought into this matter," " declared Mr. Schmitt, "and it would only be as a. last resort if they found, that theirown interests are to be prejudiced thatthe farmers will interfere.' As an indication that tbe-Fanners' Union is anxious to do anything ■ but foment trouble, Mr. S-shxoitt points to the fact Chat the executive is at present doing its .utmost to most the waterside workers in regard to the conditions governing the handling of manures, and to comply with the request made by the workers in this respect.

POSITION" OF THE TRAMWAYS. It is freely suggested that in' the event of a strike the first thing the Federation of Labour would do would be to call out the tramway men. During the last day or two a counter report baa been circulated that although the tramway employees realise that they -uust cease' work if called upon to do «o, it would go much against the. grain for them to strike. This statement was absolutely scouted by a prominent member-of the Tramways Union this morning, who informed fc "Star" representative that every man in the Union would -eeeee work to-morrow if the Federation asked them to do so. Asked* whether many of the members of the union would not go out under the tr*m'way man ia question.replied iar a»:he-I««d been able to gather, mombers of the union were unanimous in, strongly .»*• seating the action of the employers in refusing to recognise the Federation with which they were affiliated, and would not hesitate to show their resentment in a practical way." ""•-• " >'" ■ A meeting of the Tramway* Union to consider the position wfll he held on Friday. • .ASW.y :i FARMERS READT TO ACT. A MESSAGE FROM WAIUKU -4 The farmers of Waiuku have, by the unanimous resolution, of a meeting -of the local branch of the farmers' Union, held on Friday evening, expressed their willingness to come to Auckland if called upon in the event of a strike occur ring. There was an attendance of about .16 members and Mr J. Alhrech .occupied the chair.' In the course of discussion., aome outspoken opinions were expressed as to the duty of citizens opposed to industrial strife doing all in their powet to preserve order should' such an event occur. The resolution of the farmers has been forwarded on to Auckland.