LABOUR NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 136, 11 June 1938, Page 13

LABOUR NOTES.

UNION ACTIVITIES.

(By INDUSTRIAL TRAMP.)

UNION MEETINGS FOR THE WEEK. This evening, j UBe 11—Electrical Worker*. Monday, June 13—Jewellers, Painters, Caretakers and Liftmen. Tuesday, June 14—-Engineers, Fellmongeri, Brick work ere, Plumbers. Wednesday, Jane 15—General Labourers, Plasterer*. Thursday. June Iβ—Trades and Labour Council. EngliiedriTeTe. Dairy Employees. Hotel Workers.

"AS OTHERS SEE US." I have not hitherto passed any comment on the recent finding of the commission appointed by the Minister of Labour to inquire into the circumstances that led to the bakers drivers' strike with an Auckland baker, for the reason that comment from me might have been classed as one-sided; but I notice in the labour column of the Dunedin "Evening Star," conducted under the name of "Trades Unionvst," some frank comments on the recent trouble. Coming from a distance, they cannot do us anything but good. "Trade Unionist", I may mention, has been conducting the labour column in the Dunedin "Evening Star." for some years past. He is an active member of the New Zealand Labour party, and attends the annual conferences, so his bona fides cannot be seriously questioned. Under the heading "Indiscreet Unionism," Sast week, he writes: —

About a month ago a message was received that the Auckland Drivers' Union had had occasion to take a stand against an employer for alleged victimisation of an employee for calling a meeting of drivers. The employer in this particular instance was the proprietor of a large bakery business, and, as such, employed about 30 drivers in the distribution of his bread. He had occasion summarily to dismiss one of the workers for conduct which he considered was inimical to his business. The Auckland Drivers' Union officials took the matter up, and after considerable negotiations to get the worker reinstated, failed, resulting in a strike of the particular drivers employed by this one bakery concern.

Arising therefrom, the Minister of Labour appointed a tribunal of three well-known men to investigate the whole dispute, and their findings, as published, submit that the employer was perfectly justified in the action he took. It is important here to mention that tlie union agreed to abide by the decision. The writer knows two of the three men who sat on the inquiry to be men of integrity and fairness.

It seeme that somebody connected with the trade union was obviously at fault, as the evidence submitted to the tribunal was surely available before such drastic action as a strike took place. This sort of business discredits the bona fide trade union and paves the way for an unscrupulous employer to victimise a worker for his trade union activities and get away with it. It ie definitely up to all trade union officials to see that the man they commence a fight for is worth powder and shot, but not to defend a man who appears in this case to have carried on a small union egitation to cover up his deficiencies ae a worker.

The above case will surely be an object lemson to a few of the recently appointed trade union officials, who appear to have no hesitation in urging the men to strike rather than go to the trouble 01 familiarising themselves with all the facts of the oase and then trying the art of negotiation with the particular employer concerned.

NATIONAL INSURANCE. When the Labour Government announced the details of its national superannuation and health schemes a few month* ago, a storm of hostile criticiem was evoked, winch found expression in the evidence given before the Commission set up by Parliament to hear objections to the proposed scheme. The proposals were roundly condemned by witnesses who claimed to be expert* in their own particular sphere* of thought. The Government was accused of being far on the road to Socialism, and in advance of other portions of the Empire. As the result of a consideration of the evidence taken, the Government will make a report to the House when it meete in a few weeks, and it will then be seen whether any modification* have been made hi the original provisions. In the meantime, the Commonwealth Government, with Mr. Lyons as Prime Minister, ha* introduced several measures to the House of Representatives to give effect to its national health and pensions insurance scheme. The Lyons Government is not a Labour Government; in fact, tlu-re is a strong Labour party in Opposition to it. and a consideration of the proposals as announced by Mr. Lyons, induce* the thought that the New Zealand Labour Government is not alone in its progress towards "Socialism." The Australian scheme aims at providing pensions, sickness and disablement benefit for the unemployed. Tt applies to all over 14 years of ace. except those earning in excess of £305 a year at work other than manual labour. The following benefits arc provided: — Free medical attendance, including medicines and certain appliances. Sickness benefits of 20/ a week for a man and 1.5/ a week for a woman, in addition to an allowance of 3/6 a week for each dependent child under IS. Disablement benefit of 15/ a week for a man and 12/6 a week for a woman, and an allowance of 3/fi a week for each dependent child uuder 15. These benefits will be payable up to the ages of fiO for women and 65 for men, when old-age pensions become payable. Pension benefits recommended are 20/ a week from the age of C 5 for men and 15/ a week from 60 for women, with allowances for children.

The bill proscribes a widow'* pension of 15/ a week for life and an orphan's pension of 7/6 a week.

Weekly contributions to be paid initially are 3/ for men and 2/ for women. In each case the employer wHI P ,^, - Juvenile contributions will be Bd, half to be met by the employer