TWO UNIONS OR ONE?

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2130, 23 April 1914, Page 6

TWO UNIONS OR ONE?

ON THE WATERFRONT

THE OLD FACTION AT WQRK

Mattersjiavo now reached a very,interesting "stage in connection with the . application ot Mr, G. U. Jtorland (secretary of tho old' Waterside' Workers' Union) and others for tho union to • which they belong (now registered un-* dor tho Trades Union Act) to bo registered under tho Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act. Tho ground of the application is that it is not convenient for thorn to belong, to tho new organisation. Dealing with ' tho clauso in tho agreement between tho employers and tho members (wJucJj . provides that union members shall bo "iven ■■ preference providing they _ are qualified to perform tho work required) j tho applicants state that tho members j of tho Wellington Waterside Workers Union joined tho Wellington Wharf labourers' Union for tho purpose of ■obtaining the advantagos of the preference clause,. understanding that all members wero equal subscribers to theunion, but at present 450 inombers have additional preference of employment ovor all those members of tho anplicant union numbering somo 1300 in all who joined tho union subsequent to December 8, 1913. The union, the applicants contend, is controlled by preference i members, being under tho control of ! those who joined prior to December 8. ! Tho rules of tlio union (the applicants I'add) state that special meetings of tho union shall bo held whenever the executive-'think fit,, or when any sis ■members, by notice in writing to the secrotary, so request. The 1300 members who joined the union subsequent to December'B desire a voice in the aft'fairs of tho union, and m accordance ' with the rules of the union have sent iin to tho secretary somo ton Requisitions. The executive of the union, act!jng for tho proferenco section of the Uinioii, has refused to carry out the rules und has failed to give effect to tho requests. And in tho case of the only meeting held tho executive lias refused to give offect to the rules passed. ; Theso aj)d various other allegations •made by tho applicants are submitted to tho Registrar of tho Labour Dopartiuent as "facts sufficient to shon diversity of interests to allow the applicant union to register as a separate body finder the Industrial Conciliation )ob3 Arbitration Act." ; .

Ths New Union's Reply. In its reply to tho- charges made, the executive of the Wellington , Wiarf Labourers' "Union makes even more serious allegations than those levelled •against it. Inter alia, it states that-i the conditions of membership cf the present. union are. in accordance with Rule 4 and 4a of the union, and the intrance fee in accordance with Section j 5. The present rules and agreement provide for preference to members, and rib' person has been refused admittance into the union. Tho anion was formed in November, 1913, and registered an agreement on December 19. At the timo of formation the supply of labour was not equal to the demand, and, in order to encourage men to become members of the union, the employers promised prefoTcnco to those men who joined on or before December 8, 1913. "A number of men availed themselves of this opportunity, but a large number .<lid not join until some weeks afterwards. When those men who had refused or neglected to join previously ijecamo members tho conditions were reversed, and tho supply exceeded tlie demand.- Consequently a largo number of men could find nothing like regular employment. But tho employers havo 5 right to say whom\they will emnloy, provided they do not employ non-union-ists. . The executive , of tho Wellington Wharf Labourers' Union also points out m .its reply that as the union was formod before December 8 '.t was necessary to immediately appoint officers, but the union is. not controlled bv those who joined on or beforo December 8. 'At least one of the most important positions on tho executive is-held by a member who joined after the strike, and positions havo also been offered to other such men, but have been refused As to the allegation that requisitions for special meetings wore not given effect to the executive makes the following significant statement:. "In nearly ovory case some of the signatures to tho requisitions were of those who were not lngitimato_ members of the union; i.e., they obtained admission into the union without paying the entrance fee of ss. on clearances from other unions, which irero other than genuino, and had been piyen to them for tho purpose that they inight obtain admission by deceit and fraud."

When ths Malcontents Joined. Having replied to various other points raised by tho applicants, the executive of the Wharf Labourers' Union concludes-; "The executivo regrets that it cannot concede to the.requost made by Mr. Farland and others to form a sop- ' urate union, beUoving that if such took place it would be detrimental to tho ■welfare'of all classes of casual eniploy06S, who seek their living along tho (waterfront. It would also like to point ; out that since tho termination of tho I striko its duties havo .been extremely '.'difficult in many respects, and have "been ' increased owing to the fact that many ,of tho members who joined since Decem- ; bar 22 have been opposed to, tho execuHivo.on every hand, always ready to .find:fault with whatever action they |tr.ko, instead of rendering assistance and oxertinc; themselvesto bring about an amicable and reasonable understanding so that tho union business could be pushed forward and union *neotings held at more < frequent intervals. . , 'At the present time tho union's auditors aro preparing a comploto audit of tho workings, of the union sinco its inception. When that is completed a meeting of tho union will bo advertised ami held in some convenient hall, when it is trusted that all mombers will seo I lit to■ attend, and that tho oxecutivo will Hio given an opportunity of placing bcforo mojnbors the wholo workings of tho •union sinco it took charge." It now remains for tho Registrar or ,-thq Labour Department to giyo his de.'Cision in the matter.