TO MEET A JUDGMENT

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 132, 5 June 1923, Page 7

TO MEET A JUDGMENT

AGAINST WATERSIDERS' UNION

BALLOT TO BE TAKEN.

Among the matters dealt with at this morning s meeting of the Waterside Workers'/Union -was the question of arriving at a settlement of, the union's liability following on a judgment of the Supreme Court in the claim .brought by Messrs. Gould, M'Gee,. Kavanagh, and Tilly. There was a. very large attendance at the meeting, which was presid ed over by Mr. L. Glover, president of tho union. ' '

Tha general i secretary, Mr. J. Laurenson, reported upon the negotiations which had taken place between a committee of the union and the claimants with respect to meeting the judgment, and he stated that thei. executive "had submitted the following recommendation: ''That this executive, recommends that a ballot be taken on this question, and, further, that we recommend the acceptance of the basis of settlement as outlined in the secretary's report." The subject was considored at length, and it was decided, on a show of hands, to take a ballot on Friday, the question to be submitted to members to bs: "Are you in favour of a settlement with Messrs. Gould, M'Gee, Tilly, and Kavanagh on the basis as outlined in the secretary's report given to tho members at the stop-work meeting on sth Jane, 1923?"

It is expected that the ballot will ba a very heavy one, as the question at _ issue affects every member of the union. The rules of the union provide that every member who does not vote at a ballot is liable to a" fine of 2s 6d. To comply with tho judgment of ths Court in this matter, the union has to arrange to pay a certain sum to each of the successful claimants. If the members refuse to follow this course, the union may go out of existence temporarily, for a, receiver will take charge of its affairs and receive all contributions from the members, against whom the preference clause of the award will be strictly enforced. This will mean that until such time as the judgment 'of the Court is satisfied, all men who ■work on the wharf will be compelled /to join tho union, and pay their contributions to the receiver instead of to the union officials.