TRADE & LABOUR NOTES

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 58, 7 March 1912, Page 8

TRADE & LABOUR NOTES

(By TRAMP.") UNION MEETINGS FOR THE WEEK. This (Thm-sdny) Evening, March 7.—Farriers, Hotel and Restaurant Employees, •Curriers, Nurserymen, Newmarket Carpenters. Friday: March B:—Funrltnre Trades, Moulders, Brewery ■ Workers, Bricklayers, Tram way (specM). Saturday, Msm-h 9.—Beamsmeu. Tuesday, March l&—Central Carpenters, Engineers.

In Wellington the secretary of the local Waterside Union organised the hulkkeepers into a permanent workers' branch: of that organisation, prepared demands, arid approached the employers for a conference... One of the largest owners immediately sent for the hulkmen employed, and made advances ir. wages and overtime rates, conceded annual offered to provide a launch to bring the children to and from school, and made many other concessions which had been most srtcenuoutdy opposed before an attempt was. made to link them up with the main orgaoi isa tron. Mr, G. W. Spence, M.H.R., in has history of the Australian Workers' Union, states that during the past 24 years the entrance fees and contributions have amounted to £357,084 15s. Bd.; levies, ■£111,789 2s. 6d.: donations, £20,385 3s. 5d.; .the total income being £408,005 lGs. sd. The principal items of expend ilure have been: Salaries, £69,373; organisers' w ; ages and expenses, £49, 143; strike expenditure, £54,533; printing advertising, postage and telegrams, over £40.000; "The Worker" and other cooperative work, £75,684; donations to hospitals' and other unions, £33,979; ■thus leaving a credit balance of £16,543 on June. I, 1910.

A special meeting of the Canterbury Drivers' Union was held at the Trades HaJI, Uhristchurch, recently, Mr. T. Green presiding over a large attendance. A motion to cancel the Union's registration under Uie Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act iras carried by a large majority, and a ballot of the members will be taken on the point. Owing to 'the dearth of labour, the Bluff -Corporation is encountering a "Teat deal of difficulty in running its stone quarrv. Men cannot be procured at the port", where there is plenty of ship work going, or sufficient, anyway, to allow for a couple of days' clear holiday while full money is made by means of overtime. Instead of the quarry output averaging 60 tons per day. only some 30 or 40 tons are being treated, and the plant is lying idle for a long period each day. The scarcity of barmaids, as the re suit of recent legislation, is being felt at Christcnnrch. Several hotelkeepexs there are protesting that the law has given the barmaids "the greatest mon oplv in the world. Messrs. Doyle and Dunn, delegates from the Lithgow strikers, are both in Auckland this week, Mr. Dimn having arrived from the South on Sunday last. They are busy addressing the members of the various" unions as they meet. On Saturday last the Auckland bakers voted ClO in' aid of the wives and families of the striker*, while on Monday evening, after a rousing address by Mr. Dunn, the Grocers Assistants' Union also voted the sum of .€lO for the same object. It is the intention of the delegates to return home at the end of this week. The Auckland fellmongers' dispute wan beard last Thursday, and a complete settlement was effected by the Conciliation Council in the one day. The men received a rise of pay all round, and the agreement came into force the next day. March Ist, so that this week every worker concerned will receive an increase of pay ranging from 6/ per week for the general labourers, 9/ per week for limedrawers and tannery bands, and 12/ per week for pullers. The soope of the award has been increased to include the whole province of Auckland, leaving out what is recognised as the Poverty Bay district. Formerly, there was only a radius of 10 miles, but in order to provide fair working conditions for the worker*, and fair competition for the employers, the area has been increased to take m the «oap factories at Hamilton and elsewhere. The team is for three years, but the parties agreed on a clause whicV provides that '"This award is made subject to the condition that whenever any combined award or industrial agreement is hereafter made embracing any industry, trade, or buaroess in which such workers are employed, such award or agreement may be made to supersede this award so far as regards the wages and conditions of such workers." Mr. C. Grosvenor •conducted on behalf of the employers, and Mr. A. Rower for Ike employees. The trustees of the Auckland Trades HaH are making another appeal to the local unions for asaistevnee in ftmriahing the building and other incidental expenses, either in the form of a gift or a loan at a low rate of interest. I have not been made acquainted with what thw majority of the unions are doingin Ac matter, hot the Auckland Letterpress Machinists' Union and the Grocers ! Assistants' Union have decided to lend, the trustees the amounts respectively of £lO sad £2O, free of interest for a term of three yeare. The building is now well under way, and the trustees hope to be in occupation on the 20th March, so that the workers of 'Auckland will soon be in possession of a rallying point that they can be proud of. The general labourers' trouble still hangs like a cloud over Auckland, and at present there are no prospects of a peaceful settlement. The executive of the New Zealand Federation of Labour realise their-serious responsibility, ami-are leaving no stone unturned to settle the matter. In the meantime the local bodies, including the Auckland City Council, have placated their employees by offering them a rise of pay aind improved working conditions, which the offkaal»-of the Federation a»et would not have been granted but for the hiatus caused by the action of the General Labourers' Union. The members of the local Tramways Union have been on the tenterhooks of suspense for Che last few weeks, and with the view of discussing the position a special meeting of the union baa been called for tomorrow (Friday) morning and evening, in the Federal Sail, whra the position win be dnenseed in all its oaarmgß. A huge attendance of both shifts is anticipated. According to an account ttmt has reached me. there were some rather lively proceedings at the last meeting of the Auckland Painters' Union. Some time ago the members, decided to approve of the Malls Unity Scheme, but it was not a unanimous decision, and pursuant to notice, a motion to rescind the motion of approval came up for consideration. Someone had evidently. acquainted Wo- j feasor Mills of the proposal, and he -was in attendance at the meeting. He attempted to speak on behalf of the Unity Scheme, but the members would not listen to him and he had to leave the room. The rescinding of the resolution wa»-*iKhmrtely<xaTrJea by a large- major-

1 Messrs. W. Belcher and W. T. Young, secretaries respectively of the Dunedin and Wellington branches of the Federated Seamen's Union, are at present an Auckland on a visit on anion affairs, and the impending visit of Mr. J. Havelock Wilson, secretary of the National Amalgamated Sailors and Firemen's Union. Trades unionism in New Zealand is still militant. The Act has lulled, not killed, the old spirit. Judging from the demeanour of the workers in the strike just over. In addition, the new unionism is taking on. The day of the localised strike is over. The general strike looms ahead here. Once the "unclean" declaration goes forth, so resolved are the industries nowadays that no Strike Committee could draw the line. Labour of both sections is alive to the tearfulness of the weapon. Neither side is anxious to put it into operation—the Federation any more than the Trades Council section, if the attitude and conduct of the Federation officials who were on the Strike Committee is any indication of the mind of that body. The risk would be so great; the existence of many of the smaller unions one of the stakes. Trades councillors urge the alternative —a general strike at the ballot-box. And here it is where the prospects open for the closing-up of the two federations. Time was in the eariy stages of the Miners' Federation when the mention of political action was counted as heresy. Last elections saw the advent of the Federation in the political field. There is a "getting together" going on. The tramway strike has hastened rt by years, perhaps. Oa the Trades Council side long and evergrowing dissatisfaction with the judgments of the Arbitration Court has turned the eyes of that section towards more perfect industrial organisation. On the Federation side there has been a growing realisation of the power ot the ballot-box. Only the extremists stand aloof and scream against •palliatives." Labour is out for a share in the law-making.—"Evening Post."