TRADE UNION INCOME

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 252, 21 July 1936, Page 10

TRADE UNION INCOME

Big Increase Likely From Compulsory Membership

FUNDS £50,000 A YEAR IN WELLINGTON ALONE

A natural consequence of compulsory unionism is the contribution into trade union channels of great sums or money annually. The Department ot Labour’s 1935 report showed that there were 27,692 members of 83 trade unions in the Wellington industrial district, which embraces the Manawatu, Hawke’s Bay and Wairarapa. Ata conservative estimate, this total will have reached 40,000 by the end of 1936 and, if the intention of the legislation is given full effect, a still higher figure in 1937. Unions’ dues at present range from threepence to ninei>enee a week, but the usual amount is sixpence. Taking sixpence as an average weekly contribution, 40,000 unionists in Wellington district would contribute £50,000 annually. At the old maximum limit ot one shilling a week the total would be £lOO,OOO. The new legislation removes this limit, and it is now competent for unions to increase their weekly dues above one shilling, but officials do not expect that this sum will be exceeded meantime. , , Throughout the Wellington industrial district union organisers are busy enrolling new members. At the Trades Hall, Wellington, secretaries and their staffs are being kept at full pressure dealing with applications for union membership. The whole union movement faces a period of great prosperity. The newly-formed Clerical Workers Union alone has a potential membership of 3000. The Clothing Trades Employees’ Union had a membership of 848 in the 1935 official report; to-day it is 2500, and a total of 3000 is expected. The New Zealand Workers Union, which previously took in shearing industry workers and Public Works men, will now cover agricultural and pastoral workers and also, in all probability, re-embrace State Forest Service employees- Its present district membership is not ascertainable, but the Dominion figure of from 4000 to 6000 will be greatly increased. Wellington district will share substantially in this rise, as it will likewise in the case or shop assistants, of whom there are 38,000 in New Zealand. Timber workers, with a present union membership of 600 in the Wellington district, expect a rise to over the 1000 mark. The. engineering trades organisation expects to reach 1000 in Wellington and Hutt Valley, and 2000 over the whole industrial district. Furniture workers, now 323, expect to double in numbers. The Wellington Drivers’ and , Related Trades’ Union expects to show an appreciable increase in city membership and secure 250 members in each of the Manawatu and Wairarapa districts. The estimated district total for this union is 1000. Storemen and packers, who slumped in the Wellington district from an ordinary strength of 500 to 286, have now recovered to 400 and expect to reach 700. Caritenters expect to rise in strength from 1150 to 1500 in the City area and, in addition, the branches in the Hutt Valley and at Masterton, Wanganui and Palmerston North are expected to increase their present total strength of 600 by 25 per cent. The General Labourers’ Union will not benefit so much, as it has been well organised. It expects to gain strength as the result of the abolition of section 155 of the old Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act. affecting county employees, and county councils have been cited for a new award. The present district membership is over 500. In one month since the passing of the new legislation 50 new members have enrolled in the Wairarapa. The union expects to reach 750. This was the one union which had its 10 per cent, cut restored by direct negotiation before November, 1935. A large number of grocers will lie newly brought under their award. Typographical employees will benefit least, an increase of 20 only being expected. Under the compulsory unionism clause, which has been added to the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, it has been declared unlawful for any employer in an industry governed -by an existing award, or any future award, to employ persons who are not members of the industrial union to which that award applies. ,