UNION FUNDS

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 221, 14 June 1930, Page 10

UNION FUNDS

Nothing for Unemployed HOW DOES MONEY GO? Balance-sheets Not Public "What is the trade union movement doing for the unemployed beyond appealing to the Government?” “What happens to the funds provided by the levy on union members?” These two questions are asked by a correspondent, who challenges the trade unions to 1 show that they have done anything to help financiaUy their members out of work. “The balance-sheets of some of the trade unions would make interesting reading,” the correspondent writes. “Some of them must have quite substantial sums from the levies they impose, and if not they ought to. Members of friendly societies have their interests protected by statute. Why should not the funds of trade union members be similarly protected? Week after week the trade union organisations approach the Government for assistance for the unemployed, but there is no evidence of their making contributions from their own funds for. the relief of unemployment. The trade unions do a lot of talk and pass ‘windy’ resolutions, but it would be better if they did something more tangible and showed their sympathy with the poor devil out of work by helping him in a practical, genuine way.” Not Made Public.

Balance sheets of trade unions in New Zealand are not made public as they are in the Old Country. The Registrar of Industrial Unions can, however, in cases where he deems it necessary, order an audit, but the power is next to useless, for he has no statutory authority to take action. There is, according to the 1930 Year Book, dual provision for the registration and protection of unions of employees and workers in the Trade Unions Act and the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act While special provision is made for the publication of an annual statement showing the numerical strength of the various unions registered under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, no such provision exists in regard to unions registered under the Trade Unions Act. Although returns regarding membership were required under the latter Act, such particulars, in deference to the desire of the unions not to have their affairs made public, were not published. It seems ftiirly evident that the Trade Unions Act has by reason of the operation of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, fallen largely into desuetude, especially inasmuch as many unions on the rolls under the earlier Act are also registered under the latter one.

Method at Home. On various occasions representations have been made to the authorities to amend the law in connection with the financial operations of trade unions. The main requests have been that all union accounts should be audited by a certificated accountant, that a , return of such accounts should be supplied to the Registrar of Industrial Unions, that the Registrar of Industrial Unions should have the same power of scrutinising the accounts of the unions and associations registered under the Conciliation and Arbitration Act that the Registrar of Friendly Societies has with respect to societies registered under the Friendly Societies Act, and that unions and associations should be prohibited from spending any of their funds upon objects other than those for which they are registered. If the trade unions in New Zealand have made financial contributions to those in distress the general public has heard nothing of . it. Hundreds of unionists, it is said, feel that far too much of the funds provided by unions, is spent in administrative and organising costs, with little or no advantage.to the members of the union concerned. The. help that the unions at Home give to their members makes a striking contrast when compared with the conditions in New Zealand. Although there has been a decline m union membership at Home, the funds have increased. The Registrar of Friendly Societies there reports that at the end of 1928 they had increased by nearly a £1,000,000 to no less than £lo,Blt>.to». Out of this £1,171.074 was expended on unemployment. £737,948 was spent on sick and accident benefit, and £1,182,863. for other benefits, including superannuation. In Whitaker’s Almanac it. is stated that In 1926 the trade unions in Great Britain spent £6.376,730 on unemployment ahd £3,131,002 for the same purpose in the following year. A Veteran’s Experience. A veteran waterside worker, with over 25 years’ service on the Wellington waterfront, told a “Dominion” reporter that the last balance-sheet of the Wellington Waterside Workers’ Union showw no funds in reserve. “The union ought to be rolling in funds,” he declared, but nevertheless it has none with which to assist members. There are over 2000 on the wharf and each man pays 32/- m levies and fees and one thing and another. All the money goes in salaries for officials. There is the secretary and working delegate and a delegate to this and that. That’s what eats the money up. A man and a boy could .n the show. At the time of the 1890 strike the union was better off than it is now. “There are always levies to help the men on the other side, but I het they would not help us if we wanted it. lhe Government should take steps to see that the contributions to union funds should be .kept for the men who contribute them. With the money I have paid in I should be getting a pension now. The money contributed should be kept for the men in the union.” . ~ Every meeting of the social welfare committee of the Wellington Hospital Board has a large number of cases to deal with. For instance, on Monday the committee dealt with 61 cases, and on Tuesday with 133 cases, making a total of 194. A large number of these men. in fact the majority, were connected with trade unions, but none of them had been able to receive any material help from their respective unions. It is well known that very few labour unions in New Zealand, give benefits out of their funds to their members, and that sick and accident funds, unemployment benefits, and even reserves to meet any crisis such as strikes or lock-outs are not provided tor. “Where, then, do the funds go to, and what are they used for?” is a question many will ask.