Unionism

Press, 24 October 1984, Page 16

Unionism

Sir,—To W. L. Young (October 18) rates of pay are medals to be won in a race. IF that really how

he sees workers — a few to win, the majority to lose? And is the employer a paternalistic figure who condescends to pin the medals on the winners — “Well done, lad,” and all that? Maybe that’s a lovely idea, brass fanfares and patriotic anthems — at the annual games or whatever.,But work and wages are not games — we are talking about real people who want a decent standard of living, not medals. People who want some real human dignity. And that is what unions are all about. It is not a race. It is not a game. It has got nothing to do with prizes. And those gold medals — I suggest we keep them for a fun run on a nice sunny Saturday. — Yours, etc., K. FEA. October 18, 1984. Sir,—M. Moodie’s response (October 16) to my earlier letter is a meagre attempt to justify compulsory unionism, and he actually provides facts that back up my claim that unions, and his in particular, are flagging. A 5.3 per cent drop in only two months represents a yearly reduction of 31.8 per cent, hardly a figure that indicates a thriving union. M. Moodie knows that his union is not thriving and the existence of his job is dependent on a Labour Government passing legislation to force unwilling workers to join unions and pay union fees, of which a proportion will end up helping fund the Labour Party at the next election. There is one further question I would like M. Moodie to address. Does he claim that only 5.3 per cent of all eligible hotel and restaurant workers are not union members? What percentage of eligible workers under his award are union members? It is a fact that there are a number of establishments with no union members. — Yours, etc., M. W. SHEPHERD. October 18, 1984.