ARBITRATION" AWARD IN THIS CLOTHING TRADE.

Evening Star, Issue 12763, 16 March 1906, Page 1

ARBITRATION" AWARD IN THIS CLOTHING TRADE.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —For' some time past the above award has been the subject of considerable discussion, and I crave space in your widely-read columns to review a few of the merits and demerits of the case. What, I ask is the situation to-day? The Executive of the Tailoresses’ Union make grave charges against some clothing manufacturers, and the employers give what is practically the lie direct-. True, the whole controversy has been conducted in a most, praiseworthy manner. The TaUoresses’ Union recognise that the gravest injustice Las been, and is being, inflicted] on a number of luird-working spinsters—young women who, I can give indisputable evidence, are in many cases the sole or main support of their homes. The bitter, biting facts are these: That, say, three of the biggest and wealthiest firms in this colony —firms whose warehouses stand out as an ornament not only to the City’s industry, bub also to its admitted beauty of architecture—have combined, for what? To starve some of the weaker sex into submission to their demands. What they wish is to rate thoroughly competent workers as incompetent, and a contemporary observes : r We should have supposed that itmight have been possible to arrange some test whereby the question of the competence of the'workers might have been settled, one way or the other, to the satisfaction of all persons concerned. Well, sir, I ask, what better tribunal could our esteemed friends wish than that that is solely composed of-those who write the cheque for the wages each week? When this lockout—no, no, I shall say strike —occurred, a large firm in Wellington offered employment to the whole of the—ahem!—strikers. Eight on the spot a number accepted, and proceeded straight away to the, Empire CSty. . The Employers’ Union ako sent some practical advice to the Wellington manufacturer, with the result that no more were wanted from Dun,edin. the girls that had already

employedat a salary ranging from 25s to 50a per- week. They are the self-same girls whom the Dunedin manufacturers labelled “incompetent,” and yet in Wellington they are duly labelled first-class hands, because they are, in some oases, paid more than the minimum wage. We . have the opinion of the SblieitorGeneral that this is not a “lockout,” Well, well ! Some appear to . imagine that this opinion is a: decision, of the Full Court of Mew Zealand; they take it far too seriously. The opinion of the Solicitor-Geoc-ral is his opinion—the decision of a Judge of the Supreme Court may be totally different. -Now, instead of waiting on the Labor Department’s doorstep, why cannot the Tailorosses 1 Union take the matter to Court themselves? That there is an “understanding ” amongst the employees is quite obvious. Take a, recent case. One of the best coat hands in this City recently applied for, more wages. She was told she could not get it. She went to another manufacturer, who, by the way, is .not directly concerned in "this “ strike.” He told her that he would interview her present “ boss ” before lie decided. He., apparently, did so, for he would not employ the girl, and would give no reasons. ■lt is satisfactory to record that tfte girl found more remunerative employment outside u the ring.” • Now the employees talk of “ passive resistance.” They have, in faet, adopted this hue of conduct, and what is the result? They have been informed by the friends of the Employers’ Union that the incident is closed, and that the sole result will be probably “a little soreness on the part of the Tailoresses’ Unjoh'A What is wanted is. a total abandonment of this meek ami mild tndy Christian-like attitude by’ the representatives of the gift} concerned. Here is a little hint (I have already shown you where au exceptionally good hand has been boycotted by the employarr^ r Trar the enemy's camp. Find out what these big employers not only manufacture, but also what agencies they hold ; send copies of this to every union throughout the colony with m.' strong request to boycott all the goods that these firms handle. There is another course open to you—viz,, to appeal to the Court on tlie question of the lockout, or, as some fatuously term it, “tire strike.” And, lastly, you can appeal to Parliament to investigate the circumstances, and, in the event of the contention of the Tailorasses’ Union being proved, to agitate for a State clothing factory to be established in Dunedin. If a State clothing factory were started here every Unionist would see that only their goods would be purchased, and it would give certain employers the biggest shock that they could possibly, receive. There ore more unions than the tailoresses* concerned. An obvious flaw has been discovered in the At, and it is safe to assert this flaw will be exploited for all it is worth by a certain type of employers in every trade. The question should have the serious consideration of tho Trades and Labor Council at the earliest possible moment, for it is of more vital importance than they are possibly aware of.—l am, etc., ~ , President, March 15.