Organization Of Employers

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 234, 1 July 1939, Page 13

Organization Of Employers

Sir, —Two items in your issue of today deserve a little comment. One relates to a stop-work funeral on Wednesday of a watersider who was fatally injured a few days previously. I would like to ask, : :Was it necessary for all members of the union to attend the funeral?” I have no desire to show disrespect to or irreverence for the unfortunate man or his relatives, nor to detract from the loyalty of watersiders generally toward their departed comrade, but I am sure that if a few officials of the union aud a dozen rank and file attended the funeral that would have been sufficient, and work could have proceeded almost as usual.

I doubt if there is any rule in the union’s award providing for stoi>-work funerals—or in any award for that matter —and if it is good enough for the union’s officials to represent the men in the Court of Arbitration proceedings, the same procedure should apply to funerals. The other item refers to want of organization among employers. What is to prevent employers, (large and small) all over the Dominion uniting and'pulling their weight to protect their interests? The rise of the Parliamentary Labour Party, and its accession to power over four years ago, is the result of intensive organization on the part of the workers during the past 20 years. What the unions have' accomplished in that respect, surely the employers can do. So far, they are mostly working separately. The time is long overdue for them to unite in earnest and form a Dominion federation.

The high wages and higher standard of living fads have gone far enough. ■The former is handicapping trade and commerce, and the latter is—well, it is a washout, for there are still thousands out of work and in poverty despite the Social Security Act and other “advanced” legislation.—l am, WAKE UP, EMPLOYERS. Wellington, June 30.