TRADE UNIONISTS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 301, 14 September 1908, Page 7

TRADE UNIONISTS.

WORKERS' COMPENSATION. A DIFFICULTY ABOUT INSURANCE. ARBITRATION. ,(nr T£LEGRAPJI —PRESS ASSOCIATION—COrYEIGHT.) London, September 11. In the discussion at tho Trade Union Congress on Mr. Ben Tillett's motion in «avour of conciliation and arbitration (both voluntary and compulsory) in trado disputes, which the Congress rejected by 1,099,000 votes to 645,000, Messrs. "Wilson and Harvey ,(Labour M.P.'s) opposed the motion. Trade jinions, they argued, should never arbitrate unless they had a living wage standard. The Congress discussed tho ease of old workmen who had been discharged as tho result of tho Workmen's Compensation Acts. It was resolved to promote legislation establishing compulsory State insurance. Mr. D. J. Shackleton, Labour M.P., auBounced that Mr. Herbert Gladstone, Home Secretary, intended to move during the autumn session to set up a Royal Commis- ' sion to inquire regarding this subject. FREE SECULAR EDUCATION. OLD AGE PENSIONS. (Rec. September 13, 4.30 p.m.) London, September 12. Despite Roman Catholic protests, the Nottingham Trade Union Congress, by 1,433,000 votes against 131,000, recommended national free secular education and popular .control from the primary school to the university; also secondary and technical education for all children,- and scientifically organised open-air recovery schools. A resolution was carried demanding pensions at the ago of 60 years (the age limit under the new Act being 70 years). .COMPANIES' REFUSAL TO INSURE. There seems to have been considerable difficulty in the United Kingdom in. getting insurances to cover all classes of risk under ■workers' compensation legislation; hence no doubt the congress's demand for State intervention. In answer to a question put to him in' the House of Commons on April 30, the Under-Secretarv to the Home Office (Mr. Herbert L. Samuel) said: "The Secretary for State has been informed ■that in some cases workmen subject to a physical defect have been discharged on account of alleged difficulties in insuring, them. The refusal to insure such men is not universal among insurance companies, and there does not appear to be any reason' why such men should not bo insured upon adequate terms as well as other .workmen. Further inquiries ■will be made into the matter." Mr. W. Crooks (Labour member for Woolwich): Will the hon. gentleman instruct tho public Prosecutor to take action under the law of intimidation? What right have the insurpnee companies to do thisf