WHY WORK WAS REFUSED.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 8, 9 July 1909, Page 8

WHY WORK WAS REFUSED.

{ v MR. iM'LAREN EXPLAINS. In regard to those men who refused to take the work offering this morning, Mr. D. M'Lnren, M.P., informed a Post reporter that such things occurred constantly throughout the year, and for obvious reasons. One was that the men .v.'orkod at different times under a dozen i.vvsss& — some only casual and others regular — and it was not to be thought til it with a chance offering from the r.cgular employer the men would follow tho more casual work. This would refulf in. their being overlooked when, the good job 1 * c«:nu along. Mr. ttl'Liren alto pointed out that thoi-e was absolutely no shortage of 1..b0m- offtii'iiig. One of" tho jobs under notice to-diiy would hive meant merely n Vfturn of 4s or 5s to the men, while iT they w.iitecl theio was another that worked out at, say, £3 or £4. Tho nie-ii weic on the lookout for the biggei jobs. ;ur' would not risk being occupied when these occurred He considered th.it the men were fully justified in (•<■ acting. The employer claimed tho right, to employ the men at any hour, and for an/ tune ;* and surely the men, with V.honi it was a gamble- loi existence, could hi\e the right to wait, for the of the better-paying work Ihan to turn-to for a few shilling?. Ai, thiu ptij ofiiui this morning, added "ilr. M'Lruon, there wero scores, and scoi-es of men receiving such sums as ss, 6s 8c! , 7s, up to 15s a» their week's earnings. Under tho circumstances they had to uee then .wits in looking after the snaps. Those who refused Gertain work this morning .\vero merely standing off the small job with eye* on the bigger and inoro rt, ikunenitivc. For only the regular supplies got the best work. As to >i paragraph announcing a shorta^o at the connizcncemeiiL oi thu week, •Mi. iM'Laren stated that for 'Monday, Turs'lay, and Wednesday of this week th°i's w;-s exceedingly little doing — each •day not averaging moic than three Jour- employment. What wages would the nieii earn under tlieee conditions?