LABOUR TERRORISM.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14761, 3 September 1913, Page 8

LABOUR TERRORISM.

Another illustration of tlio futility of making agreements -with tho Federation of Labour is afforded by what has taken place in connection with the salvage of the steamer- Devon. Tho "Waterside Workers' Union men refused 2s an hour, with 3s an hour overtime, to work on the Devon, demanding 5s an hour, as the work was arduous. Tho agents thereupon engaged free labour, which they were apparently able to obtain without any difficulty. It is said that the Devon is within the.limits of Wellington Harbour, and consequently that tho waterside workers broke their agreement, which specifies that tho work for the employers shall always proceed in the customary manner, and shall not on any account whatsoever be impeded, it being further agreed that if any dispute or difference shall arise between the parties it shall be -referred to a committee constituted under tho agreement. We think it will be admitted by most fair-minded people, however, that the salvage operations referred to do not fall within the scope of the ordinary work of tho waterside labourers, and that they were justified in asking extra pay for it. At tho same time, their claim of 53 an hour was exorbitant, and waa evidently an attempt to take advantage of tho disaster to fleece tho persons interested. No doubt they calculated that timo was very precious, as the work could only bo carried out in fine ■ weather, and that the labour available was limited. When they took up this attitude, however, tho shipping agents were equally justified in seeking for other labour, which they did with success, with tho result that 1050 cases of oil and some machinery were salved and brought alongside the wharf. When the waterside workers were called upon to convey this cargo to tho sheds they wero simply asked to carry out their ordinary work, and their refusal to do this constituted a distinct breach of their agreement. It has been pre\*lously shown that, so far as the Federation of Labour is concerned, agreements are regarded ns engagements which aro at all times binding on employers, but aro to bo broken by tlie workers whenever it s\iits them. We do not know, therefore, that much surgriso need bo felt at the course token, however much it may be regretted. What we confess does surprise us very much is tho action of the permanent hands of the Harbour Board. The agents appealed to the Board —tho body responsible for the conveyance of cargo from the ship's side to the shed —and the Board, through its officials, asked a gang of eight men from its permanent staff to turn to. They refused to do so, and were subsequently confirmed in their action by the rest of the permanent hands, who, it appears, have recently formed an association. These men have a number of special privileges. They have regular employment at a fixed wage all the year round, a free uniform, sick pay, full pay if injured in tho service of tlio Board, and are members of a superannuation fund. When they formed their association they wrote to tho Board expressly stating that it was not formed for any aggrossivo purposes. They had no desire, so they said, nor was there any attempt, to connect themselves in any way with any Labour movement or to affiliate themselves with any trades' union or federation. Their object was purely to conserve the interest of the permanent employees, and to brine about a better spirit of £ood fellowship amon? the staff generally. Yet, at the first difSculty -which, arises with the

Federation of Labour, .-wo find them uniting with tho latter, and actually goinsr on etrike in sympathy with them. It remains to be seen how the Harbour Board will deal with such disloyalty. Tho excuse given by their employees is that if they had handled the cargo they would have been subject to a continual stream of insult from tho men they had to work among every day, with opprobrious epithets such as "Scab" and "Black-leg" thrown at them. We think that in view of their favoured position, and tho consideration they have received from the Board, to say nothing of the assurances they gave on forming their association, they might -at any rate havo made some attempt to discharge what was obviously their dfuty. WLilo we cannot excuse either their disloyalty or their pusillanimity, however., what has taken place is certainly a strong argument in favour of legislation to restrain the acts of tyranny and terrorism of which even the most decent working men aro obviously afraid.