TRADES UNIONS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 9296, 25 July 1901, Page 4

TRADES UNIONS.

Ix our yesterday's issue was published a cable message giving the effect of a decision by the Judicial Committee of the House of Lords in regard to a question affecting trades unions. Put shortly, it is that such organisations may sue and be sued in their registered names. This reverses a previous decision of the Court of Appeal. In the case which brought about this final statement of the law the decision will cost the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants dearly, but it embodies a just principle. It immediately concerns at least two recent cases. One was an action growing out of picketing, the other out of the publication of an article upon a railway manager, who was accused of drunkenness, incompetence, and tyrannical conduct. The first accusation formed the subject of the action which followed the appearance of the article, this being published in a journal run by the society. In this and in the action for picketing judgment went against the society. One case—we think both of them, but as we write from memory we are not sure—-went to the Court of Appeal, which quashed the verdict given in the Lower Court on the ground that a trades union, not being a corporate body as by law defined, could not sue or be sued by its registered name. This has now been reversed, and we believe that every trades union in Britain will rejoice at the fact. It is true it will result in serious financial loss to. the society directly interested, but it recognises the absolutely legal status of trades unions, as opposed to the partial and discriminating recognition formerly conceded in circuitous and grudging fashion, and by permitting

such organisations to sue will enable them to compile rules giving their executives more power in the matter of collecting contributions.