UNION SHACKLES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1218, 29 August 1911, Page 8

UNION SHACKLES.

A PROTEST. WAREHOUSE CLERKS DEMAND FREEDOM. ME. MILLAT! ON UNIONISM. A deputation of warehouse clerks, shout one hundred strong, waited upon the Hon. ,T. A. Millar (Minister for Labour) yesterday to protest against clerical staffs being brought within, the scope of a proposed warehouse award. Mr. A. L. Hcrdman, M.P., introduced the deputation. Messrs. R. A. Wright, M.P., J. P. Imke, M.P., and T). M'Lareu, M.P.. also attended. 31 r. H-irdmau stated that the persons affected by Hit malt or which Hit. deputation desired to lay before the Minister numbered, ho was informed, between two and three thousand. Recently a Merchants' Assistants' Association had been formed. According to its rules this association embraced merchants' clerks and warehouse clerks, as well as storemeii and others. He was certain that the great body of clerks in city warehouses objected to the union being formed. They could not object as the law stood, because fifteen men could form a union, and all inen in tho same calling had to obey the terms of any subsequent award. They desired, a statutory right to object to being included in an award, and. that provision should be made for this in an amendment to tho Arbitration Act. What the deputation asked for was a right lo go before Hie Court and state their objections to being included in an award. They had worked for years without an award, and the relations existing between employers and employees had been of an exceedingly amicable character. They thought it a pity that these pleasant and harmonious relations should be disturbed. They considered that if they were brought under an award many of the privileges now enjoyed would disappear. Employers bound by the conditions of an award would naturally decline to go beyond them.

An Attempt Resented, Mr. G. T. Hall stated that the deputation represented a large meeting held on the previous Thursday and attended by clerks in the employ of Wellington wholesale grocers, vino and spirit merchants, and produce merchants. They felt as clerks, he continued, that the formation of tho union was not exactly what they required. The meeting passed several resolutions among them one resenting any attempt to compel clerks to become members of this union. Fully 1000 persons Merc employed in tho clerical branches of the trades he had indicated. They felt, that under existing legislation no opportunity was given them to appear before tho Arbitration Court or Conciliation Council. They might be allowed to appear on sufferance, but they felt that they should be given a statutory right to so appear. The union, Mr. Hall contended, covered too many trades and the diverse interests of its various sections would necessarily give rise to friction. They had no objection to any union affecting storemen, but they drew a distinction between manual labour in stores and clerical labour in warehouses. Section 11 of tho Arbitration Act prevented multiplicity of unions. In this respect the Act was unfair, for it prevented such a body as the warehouse clerks forming a union of their own if they so desired. They desired to know if the' Act could be amended to meet this contingency. They were not fighting against unionism, but against being included in a union with which they had no community of interest.

Mr. Millar said lie had received information that the clerical department was going to bo struck out of this union altogether. This was corroborated by Mr. Luke, who said he had been informed of the fact by Mr. Farland, secretary of the new union. A Demand for Representation. .Mr. Hall remarked that that was all Jisht— ho was prepared to admit that Mr. larland had shown a little judgment in this matter—but thsy desired to get at least representation before the Court, considering that they might be compelled to come under an award. Mr. Millar replied that thi3 power existed now. Anyone cited under nn award had a right !r. appear heft-re tho Court. Mr. Herdman remarked that if a union wero formed in any line of busings ii man outside the unku altogether would be bound by the award. Tho Minister assented. Mr. Herdman contended that this beins so, when a union came into existence and applied for an award portnis iJleetcd should have a right to appear and to state their objections to being included. Mr. Millar asked whether Mr. Herdman was going to say that if three men m a trade objected to the formation of a union and seven, wero in favour, or if 301) men objerted aud 700 wero in favour, that tho smaller number should prevail? Any benefit obtained by unionists must necessarily mean a benefit to tho nonunionists as well.

At this there came a chorus of "No! No!" from members of the deputation.

Mr. Millar asked whether, it a union got wages increased from thirty shillings a week to £2 10s., non-unionists would not lake the extra pound.-' Mr. Hall replied ■ that they would be verv foolish not to. Mr. Millar continued that when an award was being considered both cmplovers and workers were rei-resented. Mr. Hall remarked that in this case the people ho represented belonged to !:r:i ther party—and they wanted representation. Mr. M'La'ren said Mr. Hall was asking for nn abrogation of the principle of the Arbitration Act. It recognised organised bodies, not individuals. Mr. Rerrtman said tho Act recognised individual employers. Mr. Luke pointed out-that the deputation was not objecting to the formation of a union, hut to clerical and manual lalxiur being brought under the scope of a single award. , Mr. Hall stated in conclusion that tho meeting which set up the deputation had filled tho Chamber of Commerce to overflowing. There had been no attempt by employers, so far as ho could say, to havo this matter brought befoic the Minister. Upsetting Friendly Relations. Mr. W 7 . H. Warren declared that there was an extraordinary defect in tho existing law. The meeting in tho Chamber of Commerce had strongly deprecated any attempt to upset the present friendly relations of employers and employees, 'i'liev were opposed to any award that would applv to the clerical staffs in tho trades mentioned. It was untrue that opposition was offered to bettering the condition of the younger members of the clerical stall's. They held that payment should be in accordance with the responsibility borne. Clerks of the same grado might be entitled to very different salaries in different warehouses. They were satisfied with their' conditions nnd only desired to bo allowed to go along .in pence. Mr. 11. W. Thompson said ho desired to correct an impression that the bulk of those who attended the meeting in tho Chamber of Commerce were seniors receiving more than .£1 a week. As a fact, most of those who attended were juniors.

Mr. D. Jl'Laren, M.P. mentioned that under tho Commonwealth Arbitration Act there was a- federated union which covered the five States of Australia. The various branches of trade were classified so as to enable each- section to control its own affairs. This plan might be followed in the formation of the now union under review. Tho officers of the union had informed him that they did not want to touch the clerical stall's unless they desired to join in. As the law stood, it rested with the Court to say who should bs bound by an award and, in a wide experience, he had never known the Court refuse to hear sound objection.'; by persons and parties. A serious aspect to lie considered was a disposition on the part of many bodies of labour, at tho present time, to draw out from under tho Act. If they wanted lo see here what was going on in the Old Country at the present time, ho did not. Mr. llerdman: "But you can havo strikes here! - " Mr. .1. V. Luke, M.F., Mid that intellect must bo allowed more scope and there must be ardent competition. Other-

wise a. proper national spirit, would be impossible, i'ou could no more mix the industrial and clerical side of life than yau could mix good and bad habits. Tho Minister in Reply. The Hon. J. A. Miliar staled that personally he had nothing to do villi the formation of unions. He lud to administer tho law. In the preamble ol Ihe Act passed in ISO! it was railed an Act to encourage tho formation of industrial unions. No one familiar with the labour conditions that existed in 181)0 could well say that the Act was unnecessary. He believed that the worker had as much need to organise his capital as the employer. A process of evolution was going on in which ihe, individual employer had been succeeded by (ho big company. The company in turn would be succeeded by the syndicate or trust, controlling (he whole thing, lock, slock, and barrell. lie agreed that clerical and manual labourers should be separately organised. The thing for his hearers lo do, if they desired better conditions, was to form* a union of (heir own. Deputationists: No! all right! Conditions are all right! The Minist-M- 'stated that from what he had lizard about Ihe salaries some men got and tho hours thev worked, thev were more easily satisfied than he would bethat was n.ll he could say. There was no law compelling anyone to join a union. Any person interested had a rieht to "o before the Court and ask to be exempted. As clerical workers, his hearers and triosthey represented, had a right to po before the Court and ask to be exempted from tn» Warehousemen's Award. Mr. Hcrdman dissenter! from tin's interpretation of Hie law, but said he would bow to the Minister's decision. A Novel Interpretation. Mr. Millar said he was not giving a lcjal opinion, but his view was as' he had stated. He did not know of anv Act of Parliament that applied to one section only. Since the Act said that an employer was entitled to appear before the Court and ask for exemption, then any particular section would have tho right, in his opinion, to ask to be exemnted from the operation of any award that'had been made._ As to the present matt.r, he was of opinion that their grievance had gone because they were going to.be struck out altogether. If one-tenth of what Mr. Farland had said in regard to hours and wages paid and worked at the present time was correct, it was high time that a union should bo formed, and that the Court should review the position and let tho public know exactly what wages wore being paid to these particular workers. He was not . going to do anything at all that was going to weaken the power of any section of men to form a union. Absolute freedom, in this respect, must lie left intact (o those who believed in unionism. He was not prepared to put anything in any statute that would cither promote compulsory unionism or prevent tho formation of unions, Figure.-, showed tho benefits am ing from industrial legislation. The census showed that year by year there was an enormous increase in the value of industries:. Mr. Luke interjected that some industries were going back, his own among the number. Tho Minister declared that it would be impossible to show more than three trades that did not show a forward movement. He would guarantee that even these industries showed a great forward movement since 1850. "You Don't Caich Me!" A momber of the deputation asked whether the Minister would look into the legal position, and, if ho found that clerks were not entitled to ask the Court lo exempt them from the provisions of an award, would he. sive them that right?

The Minister: "I am going to look and see where that is going to lead me to. I will look into the legal position, but you don't catch me liko that!" He considered, however, that where ?.a employer could object to being bound by an award, then a "section of employees would also have tho right. Mr. Ilordmaa asked the Minister whether, supposing ho discovered that a section of employees had not the right, ho would, if possible, confer the right in an amendment to (he Arbitration Act. Mr. Millar said this was exactly what ho had said ho would not promise until ho could see whore it was going to lead. To give anyone the right to apply for exemption might lead to trouble. A deputationist said tho trouble was that an agitator could come along and with fifteen men, combine to form a union. . ~ Mr Miliar: 'Tou come beforo tho Court, and try to get your award first. Evidently vou haven't been beforo the. Court yet." (Laughter.) Tho deputation soon afterwards thank'cd tho Minister and withdrew.