TRADES AND LABOUR.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 96, 24 April 1931, Page 19

TRADES AND LABOUR.

AUCKLAND UNION ACTIVITIES. (By INDUSTRIAL TRAMP.) UNION MEETINGS FOR THE WEEK. Monday, April 27.—Bricklayers, Painters, Butchers. „ Tuesday, April 28. —Engineering Trades. Stonemasons. . "Wednesday, April 29—Auckland Carpenters. UNEMPLOYMENT BOARD VACANCY. During the week one of the workers' members on the Unemployment Board has resigned his position, owing to pressure of private business. The member is Mr. Walter Bromley, of Wellington, -who is a very busy man in the Labour movement, occupying several official positions, and I suppose he finds the close attention to Unemployment Board matters interferes with his other duties. At any rate, the unions of the Dominion have been notified by the Secretary of Labour to forward to him nominations /or the vacancy by May 21. The Unemployment Act only came into operation at the end of last year, the first appointments to the board being made subsequently. It will be remembered that considerable feeling was manifested by ihe unions of the Dominion when it was found that the unions only had power •io make recommendations to the Minister, with no voting power, and the appointments were made by the Minister, irrespective of the number of unions it 'the back of each candidate. This ■was a departure from the method of »lectin<» the representatives to the Arbitration Court, and the unions it on the highest authority, but not officially, that one of the appointments last year was made by the Minister, the appointee having only four unions nominating him, as against another, with 50 unions nominating him, •who was turned down, presumably on the ground of policy. In this extraordinary 0 vacancy, the two rival organisations, the Alliance of Labour and the Trades and Labour Councils Federation, have agreed that provided the unions are «nven the power to vote as well as nominate they will take part in the election, but not otherwise. A representative appointed by the favour of ulie Minister cannot truly be called a workers' representative. In the meantime, the unions have all received their notifications to nominate, and Mr. W. T. Young, of Wellington, well known for many°years as secretary of the Wellington Seamen's Union, is already in the field with his circular on the distinct understanding that if the unions do not have the power to elect as well as nbminate he will withdraw his candidature. LOCAL ACTIVITIES. The Court of Arbitration has fixed May 12 as the date for hearing the appli-cation-of the Employers' Association for a reduction of the minimum wage fixed in all awards, probably by 10 per cent, but as much more as the Court may see fit to grant. The application is to be heard at Wellington, and Messrs. " W. Bromley and Walter Nash, M.P., will represent the workers' unions in opposing the application. Great preparations are be inmade in the collation of facts and figures, but it is realised that the Parliamentary fiat has gone forth, and the result is inevitable; the only thing to do is to save as much from the crash as is possible. The Auckland Trades Council is summoning a mass meeting of the executive members of all the local unions for Thursday, April 30, at 7.45 p.m. in the Trades Hall, to present a progress report on the unemployment question, and discuss ways and means for presenting a united front in' conserving the interests of the workers in the strenuous times that are ahead of us. ) ANZAC DAY. This year Anzac Day falls on a Saturday " (to-morrow), and, the law requiring it to be observed "in all respects as if it were a Sunday, it necessarily follows that this week-end we have two Sundays together. There is a good deal of complaining amongst the workers at this, owing to loss of time -by those who are in. receipt of an hourly wage. Even one day lost in wages in these days of 10 per cent cuts and casual worker in wet weather is something to regret. The contention has long been that, seeing the sacred - nature of this day of commemoration, a commemoration that must necessarily take the nature of religious services on the day, Anzac Day should be observed on the Sunday in each year nearest to April- 25. There would then be no monetary loss suffered by casual workers in their wages, nor by employers of workers on weekly wages who have to foot the bill cheerfully for a day that has not been worked, and for which there is no return. SWEATED GOODS ALLEGED. Mr. J. Roberts, secretary of the New Zealand Clothing Trades Federation, has written to the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, as follows: — I have been instructed by the council of the New Zealand Trades Federation to write to you, drawing your attention to the deplorable state of the clothing industry in New Zealand. In Christchurch there are approximately 2000 girls in the different branches in the clothing industry; more than half of them are working short time, and many of them are out of work. In Auckland, out of 2500 engaged in the industry, the greater part of them are working half time. A similar state of affairs exists in Wellington and Dunedin. "The clothing industry provides a very useful occupation to thousands of New Zealand girls. If matters are allowed to drift, the Government will be faced with a much more embarrassing problem than finding work for men; the v occupations to which women and girls could bo put are necessarily limited. They are confined mainly to domestic work, clerical work, and the different branches of the clothing industry. The clothing industry, if freed from the competition of the 'sweat-shop,' could absorb hundreds of girls. The New Zealandmade garments are beyond reproach, and in most cases superior to the imported article. "We urge that an embargo be placed on sweated goods, and that dumping be stopped, and, further, the place of origin be plainly marked on_ all wearing apparel entering the Dominion. We ask your. Government not to allow the standard of living of our women and -girl workers to be lowered by unfair competition. The number of girls out of employment and on half time makes it imperative that action be taken at once.