THE TREND OF UNIONISM.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 11098, 17 October 1901, Page 3

THE TREND OF UNIONISM.

A REPLY TO MR BOOTH'S ADDRESS. TO THE EDITOR 0? THE PRESS. 'Sir,—l would orave your -indulgence to reply to the address given by Mr G. T. Booth; president of the Employers* Association. ,WitJi reference to the preference of employment to Unionists, Mr Booth says i — ; " You (the non-union JF-t) . have no right, to work for a living unless you pay cu€3 to a trade union, subscribe to itsS rules, and submit }"ourse>f to the dictation of its leaders." *- / The trade union, in effect, does nothing of the kind. All that it asks is that the Unionist s&all have tbe preference ''pro--1 vidhig he is equally qualified" to do the work." which. 1 submit is a- fair position to tukij upl .seeing tfrat the brunt of wresting fair conditions cf labdur and a living wage •rests on the union, and if a man elects to be a non-unionist he must carry with the position its disabilities. Then, again, a man joining a union does not "submit himself to the dictation of the leaders/ The position is the reverse to that stated. Mr Booth must wet know that" no man, or number of men, in a union (and presumably in an Employeis' Association) can take any steps cf a responsible character nn.ess by resolution of a majority of members at a meeting ' tailed- for- t/hat purpose; so that what Afr Booth states r contrary to fact, and it would be much better for that cohciliaiory spirit, so much talked about by< employers, and h> little acted upon, if thav "dealt with facts only instead of continually misrepresenting them as has beenrthe case lately. Mi* Booth further 'says in the same connection; "You shall sink* your individuality altogether," which is misleading, as a man's individuality is only • sunk in so far as the obtaining collective^. fair conditions of labour and a minimum wage ivre concerned. Those conditions do" not preclude a man receiving mote than the minimum, as set forth in an award of the Arbitration Oourt; as a matter of fact, his wage is often above the minimum. t ln any case, the sinking cf a -man's individuality even more than at present is justified by the benefit accruing to the workmen as a whole. He further says. '"You (the unionist) shall regulate your activities at our (union's) bidding." Well, sir, that statement is absolutely and totally incorrect, and deserves the severest censure that can he put into print. For a man to make a statement of that character —and a man who has a reputation for intelligence —only goes to show that his reputation is undeserved, and I commend to his notice the fact thai Union rnlee can be procured, and if thsat is done, and the "objects" as therein set forth are read, be will see that anything of that nature is discountenanced as much as possible. Hβ says further, "You (the Unionist) shall work just so hard and so long as we order yon/ which statement is an insult to the intelligence of anyone of an age to read the newspaper; and so far as the work is concerned, if the manufacturer would take his hands out of his pockets and introduce new methods he might do some good. > Possibly that idea has not occurred to Mr Booth. I comnfcnd it to him. The Employers' Association, may take it for granted that the people of New Zealand have no desire for, an« will not allow, the conditions that prevail in the older countries. The inference to be taken from the remarks of Mr Booth is that workmen shall work for whatever tie sweet will of the

employer pronrpts him to offer y to go back -twenty years, m iaet. , ' * Mr "Booth *,ays, "GranJing the Unionist ; has a perfect, right to be a: Unionist, siu-ely | this man has a pertect right to remain * non-unionist if ba so deshes." Well, sir, diere Is at present no cam pulsion for-a man who elects to be a non-unionist, but he n< so hay to take with it the disabilities it brings. . Itatt » to say, tlie Unionist is lo bare preference of work under the wages and conditions he collectively ho*, been instrumental in securing, and iiss to pay for. It is we.l known what comlitiuns men wou.d iw*ve to submit to individually if there were no combination. Iheie aie those among us who will not forget the humiliation men had to undergo some, years back for a pittance, and according to Mr Booth for the doubtful advantage cf maintaining their manhood. Cou.d any man descend to a lower argument in favour of mvidual bargaining than to prat*, about a man's manijood. We have not forgotten the old method of strikes, and the conditions consequent on faiiure ara not allowed to die oat. When employers were allowed to impose whatever condition they liked, what sort of advantage was taken of that? Wages were paid by which a man cou!d not possibly brings up • a family in that decency they had a right"f to expect. What sort of manhood did j t those. men have imposed on them, debus- i ing themselves by a standard of low liv- j ing? and for what? that the like of Mr Booth might attain a competency a few « years' sooner than otherwise. The Kmp;overs' Association must plainly under- j stand that th; old time jjo-as-j ou-plea-e nirthods have gone never to return,-and, as far as. the old men concerned, .Mr : Booth knows as weil tv? anyone elte that.) they are provided for in aU awards, with ; very 'Httle trouble, Mr Booth snys am- ; bition and independence *are at a which is distinctly, without foundation. .• A man's condition, so far as ambition is ; concerned, is unaltered. Perhaps Mr Booth will explain. He says: "When • a strain comes thero will be "a breakdown." . Let Mr Booth! and Lis fellow Unionists locfk to, it and see there is. no breakdown, as it will in- j I evitably ba'to the "detriment of the em- j j plovers and not the mtn, inasmuch as the ; ! woi'kers will look to tins State, and I be- J Jieve not in vain, to reiieve that strain. | Let them remember, "A stitch in. time ' saves nine." • . | Mr Booth asks how a man can maintain a high standard of character, if in tlie matters affecting his daily work, etc., •'he delivers himsf.t "up to tnc control n! a Trade Union, usually managed by a small, often unwise, sometimes selfish and dishonest clique, whose definite aim is to extort something for .nothing. I reiterate, Sir, that the Trade Union officers are bound by resolution of the members, and not by any clique. To stigmatise them as dishonest is the. height of impudence, and if the employers arc to descend to slander to get their ends then their cafe© is a sorry" one. Mr Booth is hereby challenged to bring forward one ca.«e. of dishonesty or cliqueisin by Unions since the first award was given by the Arbitration Court in Christchurch. The Unions exist for the purpose of securing fair conditions, to -enable a man to exist in some degree of comfort, and we decline most emphatically to be brought to the condition of those* people in industrial countries in the Old World- I would like to say to the Association that assertion is not argument, and to advise them to try and find some of the latter for their next big speech. - ■.' In any case the feeling between employers and employed, will not -be mads jiny better by statements like those made by' Mr Booth. . , . • Thanking you in anticipation of your publishing this immediately.—Yours, etc., OFFICER OF TRADE UNION.