IS A STRIKE NECESSARY?

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 57, 6 March 1912, Page 8

IS A STRIKE NECESSARY?

>- -. 11. . . "Vg- . r V'ALIEF. THOMAS MILL>. • \.. -*-,' , - . A r ; ,Hf FOK RECOGMTIOX. -., . . •• matter .-:" very great im- ..'"'., ~ : ... octroi err\. The public ..-. c: -. , r>i- under the impression J .-, ; • •-irployers of the. gen- j t .-• .. M :ca o; tne excited utter-'..!--.ii.- spokesmen proofed* ! . - . :-r.tion. ihL- is a most =en- .... .'..-•! the jcncral labourers | s . " c . " :r .n. ipal ~li-ntiM ..re allkffi . fr-. -.-*»* o: ::.• »hoie body ot the :- -n.r.v a quarrel he-j .--.--vr.r.cs and public em- ; ~-. ; ; >- mibii. resell is the actus.' | v "-, dty bodies and i '.' _ -,- r .-. .;- f -wn croups of pu> ' . i,-•;■ 'J :i; with each j ' . ■ •,->-:'-"or '•' ' :■« city aiitho- j .. , , a ,-- . .-. but not in - , -.i ii involve a recog- , \, „ ..; .in-i rederation l'..f 1 edi.ration '.van's the '-,„• .-. >. - • u.-. un«ili:ng to! . ... n „ fi >-s ,-,:.- \m!es-s driven in I , « ,-, as to mi uve tne reiogni.ion | - >ji-ra.i:on a.- tho national spolsest : ~- a.! Lriwar. | -.-iii.mi psibiic is anxious to be a j _ invlovcr. .lad a mo-iel employer ' _ - --1-- .-..-- .he .on-iitions of em- , - .-.-st-nt i- m :.me to wine, birt-c.on.fers I :" \ -_-:;.-;. v..-, \ with bodies established . • ~ rr the'r official spokes- | -. .. " - i matter of iTpportJnce to ! 8 ...-S--- I.- thus conference with the! - bv the men -themselves, to br -- .-!s..c. .I.n.i ah irresponsible confer f. :• r. i i.-' ;;TX)rgarus-?d squads of workers : ..- ...L-j-tiuned. and then the publi# V : -, n .i the work-rs as-fced to believe t'n "-i —:i: coTiierenv lvas taken place? ■ ... —.'-.- btie\c tha'. the Mayor or his a..,,- :.i-4-> 'mean t • take this position. A--v \\ n I am su-p that- the public. t. - :* the real employer of both the- - ,\--i the-men. win not concent to s ■ -•-.-,.■t.fina.rv a proposal. The Mayor v - : veri reasons why he and his asso- ,- . ,1. -.-;";ise to sec the representatives c: - ...... i-.,i,--a.L.-in. this-mean giving t - ambassadors their passports ajad safe cr-r-iiK : to the borders, and then war. c - Bfu>«rs hail' beenme "' personae non --. -i." and the refusal is only to meet t'.~/x r«.n.kraiar rc-n under conditions; v' -i ».vild on!'-' make a bad matter] •= . s.-. I musii s"JU think t-hat the-sitira- ] • . - . T-.iu-one-calling for war_but for r :■; -j;.i ;,on. for a return of unn . -- cuesu. bui for new and unpre■i :. -e-i m.':i not unaccepta-hle to-4.he of- •'■ n.:ed authonties. It is untlrmkable • ;: t'ie it\ authorities should have reX- :•-■■:'•■ i.aferred with these same men C". "• three moutiis ago. aatd even now be '•■:'• ort:nz ir.form.illy with unnfficial re-p--rvntaiive- if the position were really o-v -: a re-.isal of the right to conter. i- - jis.'. -.nfihinkable that the unions ■--. V.-.i thoiild contuse the right X-o ,- ■ -'.- with the demands that the con--'.--.-nrc rr.us-t he with-particular men and - i r" —". mlar manner. The -municipal % ';UioTTt\ps ask for a conference wiith ; i oTi—illation Boaxd. and now the ~ jT:c.ii.u.i.< just determined not to ,- - .-- u ■:'■', the Board as the municipal ;- ~ .., ilcteTTiiincrl not to confer <- -- • v.- rh the Board- - v.,-!'. then, i.i pet this-clearly in r:. \e)uu>r party refuses to confer, . -~ ir-.st- on a conference in a way r. - ..• rp:.i':- : '- to-the othpr. Surely rea-s'-aJ-lt pcopie are no" coing to war be- i r - •..-, -.vn! ;i(jnn, have _on a .

... r «■•■> small .ls ms: ->. . ;'n«.-»• !.* another and a very imr- :<".- litter also to be considered. 1 -•' -'-.• '-jhour of New Zealand, and f . '-.- , I of ire labour of Auckland,! nterested in this matter. The 1 -, •■ ;S.,iiin<l unionists, of Auckland are] . . ■•■•' the public, and as such are; - ■ tj -.He empl overs of these men. "? .-,• > -. ■ r have to say as rational, ---- -a£ :«a services of others. In | t ■•<:-.-■.■ of municipal employees the | <v- ;, v-nh of :h" peoplf constitute :- -, r v'n-plovers' Association. ! :-;■■■ :'-iiik there can be any doubt * .■ :'-■ • vcmhelming majority of all ■ t rere. as everywhere, believe* | ....., rcn , ( . .conciliation, arbitration ol | r - - ' •'-er b> specially created I "- r h"-o'grh the voluntary act of t ii- -i-spu'e. or by regularly con--5 ;■■•. bodies for that purpose. •;r - 1; no; a plain truth that I '"•■■;• -.r .on. n_rhting for its own recogthe "mpioycrs. has neglected | >*s*ii io ro-'ognUe a very large share ol i r '.-.j nauira! ailiec? .Men who are not ■ - -tic rinks, of the employers at all, jy.- »,.;, -, -,... m Trades unions, .«-- i >;e aTere.=ts will be most scrinus:t r~ :ted by tJnr outcome of this con- ■■•-- ,I'vnnc suppose that out of tb*. * ■. - •" ;.-.■■■'•' trndes unions in Auckland • >h.arf labourers and the ■ ~--' ■ r.i! !i..T.-.-r- arc seriously interested :'."c • . ■; 'ibnar organisations to r» ■•gn.\\ ' is i fair treatment? Is it P-" ■ in.eh- ■..' the -war between the i T- . -1: .r.i ti<- municipal bodies is! ' "- .-•;•! than tb«- war made by I - ' 'i -:her unionists, as well as; <■- --.... : •> c- •-- "h'st --omos as a last resort' '■'■■ ' 'innnists will be involved. | - ■'■ '-—.: * ill unions and the credit: C. -: Ob.-.-jj- ffTl Tie a.T Stake. "Why | t"- .-•■ son to tie wjol-e body of unions) ■ pen- on. fr>r representation, fori 1 " ' - fhe -trike. or a share I >' re t!-e controversy without ai ■ y_ H -Ttg ..r.. vf such a tall] * '"/•;• ■■" responded to. Under , -«,.-, , ~;r tT. faith would j b r^--.-s..r v . fhe last vestige of th» * r.f r>'"Tiflv marie on agreements " ■■' '"pudiated. "llie last bit of " "** *-■ *"'' r ~e-.^p, 1 T. rr j on Feder-1 ; -' "" "" ;•"'•! 1* nswt h>- the Federarion I '"' 1 ■■•:*-"■: those who_-trr>uld frladly help 1 -a.,- .:• end <■: i-'nis unendurable situ-| "•»' "' "••' be guarded against. | --' • :;• aut'aorities refuse to see the I " : •'•*■ ' conld not refuse to see n\ ■° '"" ".mi::ce repre.sentiTtg. everv ~ 'i " -AuckianrL by delegates! a ■ •' '"■•■'■ •■;■' these unions for this p" ' - -■ -' ii'" c,l ~ authorities claim that they h_ ■••• no ground of confidence, that any entered into with the ■ ; irr.v.'.-r. would afterwards be respected "•••- :z- F»dera.t:on; but they would not, tn.u- '-■■;'-' not make a similar claim rep?.-ding a body representing the whole! hj ' .;■■ of .1'! t!)e trades unions of the' t.: a-pd pronr.ee of Auckland. '. ~■.!• more is wanted by the parties in ih:« i-cntest? If it is war until one «r ! 'e other has been humiliated and riis -edited, then the war will have to hut :n that it will have to !« fought out with neither the paLenco nor"the assistance of the genera,' juUic.-sviichj ia

puhLfc.ol-'the generally useful peppte™>. the working -rfass. If thei purpose is not to paralysernidnsrry. aod to bring one group of publio-emi>k>yeeß "on their knees" before--anoti*r gt oup of public employees. then a dozen ni dinary business men, selected; by the*Ma; T or and his associates, and-asi many Tepn ssentatives of the workers, selected invn and by the representatives oP*the leading trades unions of the; city, could, make an end of the whole*' matter at Ai single sitting with justice to tbesmen— so far as justice is now possible, md wh hj every reasonable guaran-'j tee of an eliding of industrial iincer-ii tainty throug.h irresponsible and aggra-« vatinsr efforts- to disturb industry as ai means-*>f propagating a kind of unionism.out;trown arxi disavowed in anv other* English speal ring-country in the world. Professor Muß'-asks us to say. relative* to the repeat*tJ • challenge of ?'r. Fraser" in yesterdays -"iiar" for him to meet with the gene-raft labourer, that it lias been a part of bis-.jJans to s.sk for such a meetinjr as ston as bis articles have been published. and—w~hat he has to say in the Press ; = o:lce-hefore the workers. It is also his wis-b to meet, nol only with the whole body of tlie general lahotircTs. hut with a general meeting of the employer? of Auckland, ani to discuss with t!*pm very- frankly ihe rignts of organised labour to official (recognition, and the importance of this particular dispute to the industrial lite of Auckland. Profesrr Mills concludes: "In fact. I hasre already withdrawn my Sunday night meeting at the "Royal Albert Hall. .and have taken the Opera House instead for Sunday at 2*o p.m.. when I hope both- enrpfloyei-s and workers from aH the unions.-as-well as-from those engage.', now in- this controversy, will pive me an •-■pportuniry to be heard on this whole-matter. Latier I shall be glad to meet the (ieneral Labourers or anyothers really interested-andianxious for peace with justice."'