WORKERS' PROTESTS

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 117, 13 November 1931, Page 11

WORKERS' PROTESTS

EXEMPTION FROM LEVY

RENT MORATORIUM

At a. largely attended meeting of tho Koliof Workers' Section of th« General Labourers' Union on Wednesday, tho following resolutions were carried:

"Levy.—(l) That in view of the helpless plight of .the. unemployed and the approach of the Christmas season, when many thousands are without the necessities of life, wo request the Government and the Unemployment Board to romit tho present quarterly payment of tho unemployment lovy, due by those men, and, whero the levy has already been paid, allowance bo made for this during the next quarter. (2) We recommend to all relief workers and unemployed to make application for exemption from tho unemployment levy." "Bents.—Bealishig.that the majority of our fellows are endeavouring to pay their rents and payments on homes, and further realising that the efforts thus made arc reducing tho amount of money to provide food for our wives and children, we find that the struggle is an unequal one, as the continual reduction in our hours of work renders the balance available for food miserably insufficient. We find that these rents and payments are a fixed item, and we must go without the necessities of lifo in order to obtain shelter. We request property owners whose tenants aro unemployed to extend a voluntary moratorium to these tenants, as from tho Ist December, 1931, to 15th January, 19:!2, thus covering the holiday season, when wages will be further broken by tho holidays. In tho event o£ tho property owners failing to grant this request, we ask the Government to inako it compulsory by Order in Council. Wo also wish to thank thoso property owners and house owners who, although in dire plight themselves, have shown a humane feeling to thenunemployed tenants, and to seek a continuanco of this sincere assistance to men and women in -necessity." "Finance Bill, No. 4. —This mooting emphatically protests against tho provisions made in tho Finance Bill, No. 4 whereby local bodies are empowered to undertake relief work on private property. AVo consider that these provisious arc an abuse of authority, and foreign to tho intention of tho Unemployment Act. It is apparent as time proceeds that the Unemployment Act and the funds collected under its provisions are not being used towards helping to solve the unemployment problem, but are being used against the interests of all workers, and for popularising the political programme of the Government with the property-owning section of the community. We consider that under the provisions of the Finance Act, No. 4, the wages and conditions of all workers are imperilled- and that the operation of this section of the Act will undoubtedly increase the number of unemployed. We recommend to all unemployed not to accept work offered under 'this section of the Act, as by doing so they will be -undermining the conditions of all workers. Subject to tho unemployed adopting this recommendation, wo invito the co-oper-ation of tho Labour.movement to assist in its complete operation."