THE CARD SYSTEM AND THE STRIKE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3163, 15 August 1917, Page 6

THE CARD SYSTEM AND THE STRIKE

MORE ABOUT THE NEW SOUTH WALES TROUBLE THE "TAYLOR" CARD , 'During .'the .controversies in Sydney over the great railway strike, reference was frequently made to the "Taylor" Card System, alleged by. the strikors to be the basis of' the card system instituted, by the New South Wales Railway Commissioners, and which, it was contended, was an objectionable form of card. . The Taylor- card system is described by the' Strike. Defence Committee in;'an .official statement, as follows:— "Statements made by the. Chief Com- .' missioner" and- the" Government may. and we believo. are'.' intended, (o mislead the publio into believing .that the employees of the Chief Commissioner's service do .not record the;work performed by them . each day, but merely book the hours ro worked, therefore we desire to mate public our intention of nailing that deliberate false' impression so conveyed by Mr. Eraser and the Government. Wo . affirm that it has always been the custom in the service for tho employees to - fully 'record on time-sheets, (he nature . or the work engaged on, onerations lo • samo, and the hours actually engaged, together with many other minor details, such as rate of wages"paid, which would hiive at all times "enabled the Chip/ Com. niissioner to correctly ascertain ihe a<> tnal cost of any work performed. This system was always accepted as satisfac- . Tory bv all Chief Commissioners, and as proof it has been known frequently for men to bo called upon to give cxplana- . tions wliy they, took. time said, to bo ..excessive on work which was done..by :..... them, months after having performed That *'p"k complained of. • The American Taylor which . *hp Chief Commissioner is desirous of enforcing into his service, is not recognised in any Government shop or union shop in that country, and "the verv first compact entered into bv the United States Government with President Gompers, of the Employees' Federation nf America, on that count™ entering into ; the .war, was that the Taylor, or card, .system .would not be introduced" into any munition ■ establishment. Moreover, : ouite recently in England, a most serions ; dispute:-was entered into owing to the card system being in vn?he in munition establishments, tilt wisT counsels prevailed. and tho Tninerial Government, c realising Ihe injustice' of the system, withdrew tho cardsvstem u»oondi t ioiia I, <\ 1 Gang bosses ate emploved under this

system to supervise and sf.rietb' watch / "very few men. aid whose dutv is to px- ■ Sort men to further effort, 'even to the extent of threatening them with (lis. • missal if tl'ey did not achieve results that were alleged, *o have been done bv otlior workmen, although to ask for proof would TTe considered ctos= Insulxirdinn- .. tion, the gang bosses receiving a bonus over and abov" thoir waees as n. reward for their sweating methods. The workmen, under this system, are not allowed '.to leave tlieir machine or benches, but are mmlded with the means of com- '• miiniration with the tool store for any ' requirement, which will be brnnplit to thmn by a lxiyl and the system is brought to such a fine art f\at everf p'ovemeH ■ of the operator iV timed with the clock, with the result Hint men who have given .' the hevilav of their youth, •V"' become middle-aral.. am rnmpelle' l to retire to prevent humiliation. We ere • fl.rmlv cmvineed .that it i= unnecessary, v inennitableT and nnsc : <"itific, and trust ,'tliat its aceenfauoe wfl -never be f-iler-afp<l bv Australian unionists,, who have alwars "„.„q Pre( j a f a^r return for tho wa>re offerine. : , . Simnips of its operation' are given as ■■follows:—. How the Irrsducihle Minimum is Arrived at, • Example Eveleigh workshops, six turners engaged on six pistons each (3G ' pistons in all)—. First man, time occupied 2 hours. ' Second man, time occupied 2J ho.urs. Third man! time occiipied 2J hours. Fourth man, time occupied 2£ hours. Fifth man, time occupied 2-J hours. , , Sixth man, time occupied 2J hours. First, second, and .third man executed the"work in the fastest time, viz., 6 hours . and 30 minutes, average per man 2 hours . 10 minutes". Th'us, No. 2 and No. 3 are told to work faster, whilst. 4, 5, and 6 are told they are slow workers, and dismissed.. The same test is made, say, at Newcastle,, and again the best three men's time is as follows :— First man, 1 hour 50 minutes. ' Second man, 2 hours. Third man, 1 hour 50 minutes. • ' 'It will be,seen the three fast, workers -i average 1 hour 53 minutes.

. Another test is made, say, at Bathurst, ;. ,on the saine. class of wort,, with the re- : suit-.— First* man, 1 hour 50 minutes. Second man, 1 hour 50 minutes. Third man, 1 'hour. 56.-minutes. • : s- Average time at Bathurst, 1 hour 52 ' minutes. Comparisons are then made ~ : with the ..different centres, and the . ngeof the 'three fastest times are then '• taken, thus:— Eveleigh. 2 hours 10 minutes. Newcastle, 1 hour 53 minutes. -• Bathurst. 1 -hour 51 minutes. Ttal, 5 hours 51- minutes, 'of an averago ■ of 1 hour 58 minutes. ,■ l- • This then would he the time set for tlia turning of pistons with dire consequences .-for non-compliance. Men who comply \.':w'ith set times', are-paid the minimum. ' "Those able to exceed: such .times will receivo a.reward at their will. The injustices of these methods and the actual .recording on the cards by sub-foremen, who each have from 25 to 40 men under . fliem, some havinc as few as five men- ■ each,- for which they receive increased salaries and privileges. This without production from their own hands prove* to our minds that the obvious intention , ■ of such an army of snl>-fornnien is to force this .pernicious system with air its disadvantages on to th» shoulders of men ' who have rendered "service which should entitle them to T"«neet instead of persecution. Clyde 'Ensfneermg Comnany, ' 'Ritchie Bros., MeadowbanV Manufacturing Comnany, MoH's 'Ooc'k. anil n'any other large contracting firms for the Government have their costing systems and ■no friction exists owing to their systems being carried out hv rood management and nroper treatment of their emolovees. Fo far as we are' informed, they hevo nlwavs succeeded in slmwiuiT a Jair return for their shareholders' investments. , COSTIKG SYSTEM NECESSARY DECLARATION BY* EMPLOYERS}. At a meeting of the Council of the Emnlovers' Federation, together with the heads "of a large number of employers' ; associations, the attitude of employers towards the strike was fully discussed, and it. was decidcd to sunport the Government in every possible way in the action iii.w being taken. ■ ' Confidence was exnressed that the Gov- . pr.nment would deal with the matter in .. —fhe beat interests of the community, and the following resolution (a enny of which was handed later to th» Acting-Premier) was carried unanimously:— This federation realises that a "costing"'method is absolutely necessary for the efficient conduct of any lar?e business concern, and that the "Railway Commissioners are in duty bound to endeavour, to secure adequate returns for their expenditure < of pnjjlin funds, by the annlicatinn of necessary business methods. The . federation deplores the action of the unions in precioitaling an unjustifiable strike upon such an issue at a time when the Emnire. is eng.iretl in ■ - a life-and-death'stniffgle for Hie observation of our liberties. Further, the federation the community to support the Government and tho Kailwav Tommiss'onofs In their doterminat.'>n I" united leral'v r-nnsti-tuted authority ecr.'-'nst a deliberate attempt by a small section of the neopje lo set un virtual anarchy. Thft federation,trusts the Government will stand firm in' their, 'letennina-tion-to niaintai. nlaw'anil order nl this, grave juncture. .