THE "STOP WORK" NUISANCE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3009, 21 February 1917, Page 5

THE "STOP WORK" NUISANCE

WARNING. TO SYDNEY TJNIDN.S. 'On February 9 in Sydnoy Mr. Justice Heydon delivered a reserved judgment in the Industrial Arbitration Couit in a matter in which memberft ■&: Ji aQ Federated Ironworkers' Association .(Iron aiid Shipbuilding.Trades' -Group, No. 14' Board) had been called, on to show cause why the clause in the granting preference to unionists 3b.ouiu not be cancelled. His Honour said"During the hearing of an appeal .W this case, a large number of tho mem-.-befs of the union took part in an illega stoppage of work, and their act "was thus brought very markedly under the .notice of the Court. fas , fc A ueß *Z was whether the appeal should lie gone on with at all, or whether lt.shoald bo dismissed on the ground that the .members of the union had, by. disobeying the Act, forfeited tbeir right to its privileges.' On the whole, as the country branches of the union had moD ceased work, and,as the time wascttie of much political excitement, -I-though that it would be,too hard to feprrve the 'union of all its benefits under^ tlie appeal; but I directed that it should be called upon to show cause why,«« preference clause should not be strtv* out. On that point, it has now bee\*heard, and I have fully considered what has been said on its behalf. I have come to the conclusion that the prelerence Bhould be taken away. Though I was told that the union, as a union, was opposed to the illegal action of the largo number of its members whostopped work, not a. word was.sitid of any punishment having been m&.'Cteu upon them. - ~ . "Whilst unions confine themselves merely to words and resolutions, they cannot be,'and are not, taken iously. When they really mean business we see how strongly they can act. We see how strongly they have acted in regard to all their mem ° who' advocated conscription. ' A snort time ago a union at Lithgow, resented the raising by the local hotelkeepers of the price of beer. They resolved that-no beor should be-boiight till the price came down; and, further—and this is the if any pi their members, feeling very thirsty, should disobey this order, they would not work with'them. This illustrates how easv it is for tho unions tn enforce their will when they really wish to dp sov Did they tell tho men who, struck' during the hearing of this appeal 'that they would/not work with them? Certainly not. Tlie men who bought forbidden glasses of beer wero treated as blackjegs; but the men'who broke the law of tho land wero only told' that they were naughty boys. This will not do; it is a mere sham. The unions can keep their members in order if they like; and when they do nob do so they adopt the illegal_ act and make themselves parties to it, however they [may try to protect themselves by protests aiid resolutions and assurances of their extreme regret. "

"When unions in future, allow their members to strike thev will be called upon to show cause'why their preference jind their registrations, and their awards shouldnot bo cancelled. "As the Court has often said, it must bo one thins: or the other — the Act or no Act. . I think that I was very lenient in. going on with the hearing: of the. aj;r*al. However, as to preference, I think that it has been forfeited, and I cancellation of that clause in tho existing award."