THE DRIVERS, DISPUTE.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14377, 10 June 1912, Page 10

THE DRIVERS , DISPUTE.

MEETIXG IN. THE OPERA HOUSE. A mass meeting was jheld- in the Opera 'House' last, night to hoar various speakers concerning tho drivel's , dispute. The chair was occupied by Mr D. G. Sullivan, and there wero on the stage Mr Hiram Hunter (secretary of the Drivers'.Federation), and Hr E. Howard . (member of the executive of tho Federation* of Labour). Mr Sullivan said that a serious difference had arisen between the Drivers' Federation and the employers throughout New Zealand. He had been convinced that the drivers of New Zealand were labouring under a grave injustice. Thu workers as a body were labouring under an organised system of injustice which had come down through the generations, but the workers wero beginning to recognise that it was not in the order of Nature that they should produce wealth for others, and not.ior themselves. Tho low code of commercial, morality existing at tho present timo recognised the principle of payment for labour, but drivers were compelled to put in hours both before and after their ordinary eight hours' work, for which they received no payment. Ho was quite convinced that the drivers would exhaust every legal, constitutional, and conciliatory means to settle their dispute, but if that failed they were entitled in whatever further action they took, to the support and goodwill of the community, and the assistanco of organised labour. (Applause). Mr Hunter said that he would speak mostly about the Canterbury Drivers' Union, as he was familiar with local affairs. The Union was formed in Alay, 1901, and Mr J. McCullough, of the Arbitration Court, was the first president. Tho Union took a case to the Conciliation Council, and the recommendation, -which, the Union refused to accept,! was £2 2s.'•.per. week ■ for 4< hours, .exclusive of.' attendance on Tiorws. The Arbitration Court made an award, but-the'Union-did not get anything better than tho Conciliation Council had recommended. At first drivers "were not-even; recognised as workers under the Act, and an.auiend" nwnt had to be passed including them. Even then they were only recognised as workers for five-sixths of their time, as "necessary attendance on' ,horses' , was not paid for. .That had Been left to the •interpretation of the individual employers., The drivers contended that they should be paid from the time they got to the -si n b!e in tho morning until they left it at night.. (Applause.) Mr Hunter traced tho course of iho Union's negotiations irom 1902 onwards. In 1908, when he (the speaker) became , secretary, tho drivers were getting the princely wage of £*2 2s for GO hours work. Proposals wero. made to, the "employers, who laughed at them, and played with them- When they came to the Court, his Honour, Mr Justice Sim, ref3ri*Hl them to the Wellington award, and, said that it would be futile to make any proposal not embodied in that award. It provided tor a week of 47$ hours, exclusive of attendance- on horses. The proposal in Christchurch, was that the necessary , attendance on horses should be limited to one hour por day. Owing to the attitude of the judge, the Union wero prevented from going into the question. It was unfair that -the -wltoleof the/workers in one industry should bo bound by an agreement come to by one section of the workers in that industry. It was in order to prevent this that the Federation .-was formed. A dispute was filed in Auckland, so that the award would ai»ply to the whole of New Zealand. Subsequently a: Dominion Conference .was 'atrarieed with the. employers, but. tho 'Federation found that tho.employers simply treated tliem in the same way as before,' and turned them dowru The Federation asked for £2 14s per week ; for a one-horse driver. This was not a. livinn wage. He considered that any worker worth Jiis salt should get £3. The proposal was poohpoohed, and described as ridiculous. The conference never got beyond the question »o£ hours. The Federation'first, asked for 47£- hours, inclusive of at jf tendance on horses;. Subsequently -the Federation ."'•nroposeeT,'- as a minimum, ,52 hours "at £2 12s, including necessary attendance on horses. This-was declined. : Then the Federation asked that tho Auckland case be gone on with. The average hours worked by drivers in Christen uroli,'; were 65 per week, and. their payment averaged 8d •'per' hour. * Thero were some stables where fewer hours were worked. . It was absolutely unjust to assume that once a case had been before the Court',everything''had been eaid that could bo said. The Court had also ruled that Sinless the .men could show that conditions had materially altered sinee 1 ) the previous award was made, no increase would bo granted., Tins' , was also unjust,; as the men's cases had' not always been putbefore the Court fully and properly. The' union was riot out to talk- strike. The drivers so far had been loyal to tho Arbitration CourH;. If the Court would hear their case in Auckland,, and hear it.on its merits, the drivers would-.ac-cept the award, if it was a fair one. If they did not get what they considered fair, treatment they would be compelled to adopt other methods to get redress. After referring to several instances of .long hours worked by drivers, Mr Hunter asked why they should go cap in hand to the employers to ask for a few shillings increase ? The employers i fixed .the price of their goods, and de-i manded that price. That was whaV the .workers should do-with their labour. They were going to give the Arbitration Court its last, chance. He pointed out that a driver putting in 6o hours a week actually worked <>5 days of eight hours each in the year for nothing.- The present rates of'pay were £2 4s for a one horse man, nnd £2 8s ior two horses or more. The Christchurch City Council had led the way, and had adopted tho * principle of Is per hour, from the time the drivers went to tho stable till they left it. If the employers were prepared to accept the Christchurch City Council's' terms the Drivers' Federation would say "hear, hear." Thi principle had already been adopted in .Australia. The employers -here complained that they coufd not.get good men. He did not admit this, but if the employers gave bettor wages and conditions they would attract better men.. Men at present were driving to suit - themselves, and adopted the trade as "a makeshift. until they got som* thing better.- He moved the followjv; resolution: —"That this meeting strongly protests against the inflicted on the drivers by the awards obtained in the various centres front the Arbitration Court, which compel these workers to work a large number of hours in attendance on horses without payment, and it is of opinion that if the drivers fail to get their grievances remedied in a constitutional man- . ner the Drivers' Federation. is warranted in taking such further action j<s may be deemed necessary/ The Drivers' Federation had approached the Federation of Labour because .it Wanted the support of all organised; labour in New Zealand- The workers should drop their political differences, and' concentrate their energies on achieving their aims for the improvement of their conditions. The drivers were an important part of the transport system, and they would have, the support of the waterside workers. " Mr E. Howard, representing the Federation of Labour, seconded tho j motion. The troubles of the Drivers' Federation were the troubles of the Federation of Labour. "If you decide to drop tools, wo can drop tools and come but with you." The Federa- | tion of Labour was not looking for

trouble or strikes, as the working classes were the greatest sufferers by these things. T] le workers, however, were not slaves, and would not tamely submit to oppression. The Federation did not care a hun<; about the politics of the Drivers' Federation, but it would .combine with it on the industrial field. •(Applause.) Ue was also tiiore ou behalf of the ininers, to assure tin' drivers of their support. Personally, ho did not think that Mr Justice Sim waa going to give thorn what they wanted. Ho hoped that Mr Justice Sim would administer them a bigger kick than when he offered them 8d an hour. , The workers should demand the same standard of comfort that llr Justice Sim demanded, and that was about £'1 an hour. "Art? you not as as he? If yon don't think so, il is about time you went out and drowned-yourselves!" (Laughter and applause.) Mr Howard went on to .warn the Federation about '".scab" unions, Avhich he said would bo lurmed if the workers dropped the Arbitration Act.. This had been done in Waihi,' where tlie 'master classes had brought in some "scabs" from their own families. If the Waihi nieii wont down, the drivers would also he beaten. The master class wanted a, general strike in Xciv Zealand this winter, and Jiad administered a series of pin-pricks to the men. The Federation of Labour was composed of sane and sensible men, and it would not strike at the bidding of the employers. It would.wait its own time. A strike in the winter would not suit them. The workers were' going to have whatthey produced, and the non-producer would have to work or die. The Federation did not care about a man., politics or religion. One could vote for ■ Masse'y, or Ward, or Mackenzie^he would bo cheated just the same. • One could worship one God, ten gods, or no gods—the Federation did not care. Tho workers were brothers, because they were being mutually robbed. Tho Drivers' Federation could count on tho Federation of Labour. (Applause). The resolution was carried unanimously, amid applause. General questions, were asked and ariwered. • Mr Hunter said that the Arbitration Court was regarded ; merely as providing a palliation of the workers' conditions in the meantime.: They would eventually have to eliminate' tho employer altogether, and act in co-operation, "all for each, and each for all." There were a number of questions as to the reasons why the Drivers' Federation did not join tho Federation of "Labour, and asuggestion" was. made that the latter organisation was being used as a cat's-paw. Mr Hunter replied that the Drivers' Federation wished to givo the Court a last chance to do them justice, and so remove tho last vestigo. of excuse from the other side. He could not say whether tho Drivers' /Federation would join* the Federation of Labour. That was for the members to decide. . Tho meeting was closed with a vote of thanks to the chair, and cheers for the two Federations. Jlr Sullivan remarked that the Press of the Dominion wanted industrial peace. . Jt had its opportunity to assist in securing fair treatment to the drivers. • ■■~.-'.

On Saturday Mr H. Hunter sent the following telegram to Mr *Geo. Davis, secretary of the•'.'.Auckland Drivers Union■:—"Largest meeting of drivers ever held in Christchurch took placeH-last night. Strongly *"a^yl se Auckland stand firm for early hearing there, and if case not set down for hearing this month to withdraw, same.and tho matter in the hands of the Executive. Employers Iμ other centres can he represented in Auckland 'if they wish, as they have been, hitherto. H\s Honour told the Canterbury .drivers three- and a half years ago that tho drivers' dispute was the same, in every centre; and that there; was no .need to K 6 into it in each place.- Federation agrees with him. Stand firnv for previons decision -.of Federation."