IS THE UNION WANTED?

Evening Post, Volume LXXXII, Issue 47, 24 August 1911, Page 8

IS THE UNION WANTED?

SOFT GOODS' ASSISTANTS' POSITION. "Ninety-five per cent, of the assistants in the wholesale soft goods' warehouses strongly protest against being brought under the -conditions now pro- ■ posed by the Wellington Amalgamated Society of Merchants' Assistants," said Mr. B. L. Salmon, who was secretary of the meeting of soft goods warehouse assistants held recently to protest against th« union to a Post reporter. "Many* of the men who signed that protest," Mf. Salmon explained, "had become members of the union. On looking into the matteT, however, they found that it was not so attractive as it appeared at first sight. It looks all right now, but if the demands are ti> be given effect to it will not be so aft a few years' time. "Then the soft goods warehousemen have no sympathy with the hardware warehousemen in regard to conditions of work. Special knowledge, special experience is required in our business. We have, for instance, lady customers who may not want to buy ; but it is the salesman Who must see that she does buy. It is not quite like- selling a bag of nails. In the soft goods' trade, too, there are special departments and every house arrangea these departments differently. It would be quite impossible to give preference to unionists in our business. "As For the protest that was taken round by junior hands: the principals had nothing to do with it. It originated 'solely with the assistants themselves, and was the result of a mature considera* tion of the union's proposale. Absolutely no compulsion was used in gettin<* signatures," The softgoods warehousemen will, for the present, take no further steps nnti! the matter comes before the Conciliation Council or Arbitration Court, when they will be heard of again on the subject. ANOTHEP. PROTEST. Th« wholesale fancy goods and jewellery assistants to the number of over forty met last evening at the Commercial Travellers' Club and protested against being joined to the proposed Warehousemen's Union. Mr, E. Kellow piesided. It was resolved to appoint two representatives of the assistaat* present to bring their views before the Conciliation Council, and, if necessary, before the Arbitration Court. Messr*. Crane (P. Havman and Co.) and Morrish (J. Myers and Co.) were appointed repr©« sentatives.