LABOUR MATTERS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 510, 18 May 1909, Page 5

LABOUR MATTERS.

FRENCH POSTAL STRIKE. A COLLAPSE. STATUS OF CIVIL SERVANTS TO BE DEFINED. mi TBriKdiurn—ritEss association—copyright.) (Rec. May 17, 11.50 p.m.) Paris,: May.. 17. Tho fftnko of postal employees in France has ended. In all, 548 "postmen have boon superseded. Tho duel between tho forces of tho revolutionary trades unionists and tho 'Government, backed by. Parliament, is about to bo fought to a finish.. , ' Tho Civil Servants' Status Bill has been drafted. OUTLOOK IN THE COMMONWEALTH. DEAKIN AND COOK. ANTI-LABOUII FUSION FAILS. Sydney, May 17. It is understood that tho negotiations for the fusion of the Deakin and Cook parties in. order to oppose Labour in the Federal Parliament have practically failed. A SEAT LOST TO LABOUR. Adelaide, May 17. At the by-election in tho Central District for a vacant seat on the Legislative Council, Mr. Bruce,' an : anti-Labour candidate, was returned. The district for tho previous three years had elected Labour representatives. BROKEN HILL WANTS PEACE. Sydney, May 17. It' is reported that thero is a, gro\ving feeling among tho miners at the Barrier in favour, of' onding the trouble at the Propnotary Mine. An important decision is likely to be come to on Tuesday. , Professor Manes, of Berlin/University, has 'arrived . here with a commission to investigate labour problems and industrial legislation in Australia and New: Zealand. .:,..; \ / CONDITIONS/ ■V : ; l '-:'':.'.'(Reo.VMßy.-17, : -n.50 pirn;) , ;;; ,; ..'.: . ■■ ... Sydney,; May 17. A conforence between, the coastal , ;steamship owners ■ and: the, Seamen's iUnion '■ as to cpnditious ; of 'employment is in .progress, . The questions involved include .'■ demands by tie men; for increased. , overtime;pay,;and ; preferV onco to unionists.: It is,.understood,, that thero is .a good prospeotiof ah. amicable, arrangement being reached, i '" " ■.-.-■-' BRITISH TRADE UNION STATISTICS. .'/:-."; ■'.-'.I"": ';:';'■'"■"'•'■}' . , •<■':'■ '''"■' ''■'■'■"'' ' ' '• S^" , ' ;. ; ;:.an:increase.'' ; : .-:-f v, .■•; ''■:■:•■'.':'> V:;. ":;'■:-y.,{- ;■.;.;■>■ London,' May,16../ ; Recent returns show that there are in the United Kingdom 1173.trade unions aggregating 2,408,746 members, ■ including 201,000 women,; . . '■ :, ; ' '-, :'-'.-',■' ' / SOME COMPARATIVE FIGURES. V •• The trade union figures have inoreased from 1161 unions and 2,106,283 membors in-1906 to 1173 unions and ,2,400,7d6 niembors. - > According to a lately-published authority, noarly threofourths.of. the.i total ihembership -of- British trade unions is found in the building.mining, and '■guarryingi' , .metal, engineering, 'and shipbuilding, and textile,trades.,The figures'lß9G-1900 are', as fqllpwiTTr;.■,'.;,"„.;""'"_ ':... :.',-.'■ . .:.';' 'No', of unions. -■'Membership. "''■'■' ' ■ 1898',-... '.;■•... ,1300■:' --.:'■ 1,502,552 ■ ' v'.-.... : 1897'.; :.. ■~;..<;im: - -: ■ ' ! -1,622,713 '■ ' " : 1803 '■•■..-.■■ ..... 1261'; ' i,650,450 : ':'''■' ■■■■..::. 1809 .:.' •;;... 1255,.' ' : -1,820,755 '"." '•'■'■'' 1900 ',;.■' ... ,12«, U :'■:-':■■ 1,928,035' '■ ■ ' .1901 .•„■.' ~... ,1238;,- 1,939,585 ; ■-.•.•:. 1902 .'... ...V1203 •".' ". ; 1,925,800 ".- : . ~ , ' -,.': 1903 .■ ■':..■ ;,';■ 1187; ■','.".'' • 1,903,596 '■■■". : y ' 1901;, '..., ;:.- 1153';. ' ', 1,861,374' : '" IQOS ... ~.:'ll36''■.'■ 1,887,823' ''. '.1906'.-i.-.' :' '.'.;-■•: 1161 ■"..' ■-- V"'.2,106.283 :: - ...;.1907 ..; v';...■ M 173. ;'. : 2,406,746 W ; "'.Pirianoial details with regard to one 'hundred principal unions, which include over- GO per cent, .of the total membership of all-thosocio-ties.are'as follow:—;: ■■'■: ■:'': ,;■ . ......... ■• ■ . „' ■'■•■■'■ ■]':■'■ ■■)' , V ' ; "; <ieoe ''."■ '.viß96;:-: Membership ;-'■ ....... 1,273.995 : / 987,717Income'. ....... , .....£2,344,157.' "■■'. ' . „. .'■per. member/ ...' 86s.'9Jd. ■'■" 335. 51d.Expenditure ■•'... '■ ... ;■ r■'■.,; per member.'... :30s, 9d. : - .343. 6Jd. Accumulated funds .■'.,';' .".•■»'; '•>..; Per member ;815..7id.:. 13e. GJd.' The'expenditure for' the'ton years 1R97-1906 amounted .to 'of which 000 was.epent on disput'o pa'ri':ie3,B7i,ooo on unemployed benefits, .£7,438,000,0n sick arid accident superannuation, "and funeral benefits; and J!3,855,000 ort working and. miscellaneous expenses. <..' :, ' .. •■■.■'>•.■'■'"■.- -- "". : ■-,--.■•-■.■ .-"." :.'