THE LABOR MOVEMENT

Evening Star, Issue 15139, 22 March 1913, Page 2

THE LABOR MOVEMENT

[By Veteean.]llrie.f contributions on matters with rt.j trance to the Labor Movement are invited. SUCCESSFUL STRIKES. The cable this week informed us that two very large strikes have been won—viz., the garment workers of New.York and the taxi-cab drivers in London. In the former case 10,000 workers have had their wages increased. The taxis struck against an increase of 5d per gallon in the price of petrol, making Is Id, as against 8d (the old price). The British* Motor Cab Company's employees have gone back oii the old terms of 8d per gallon. Much as we deplore strikes we cannot but admit that both of the above were justifiable strikes, as the employers' terms meant starvation wages, and the employers would not listen to reason. PRESSERS AND CUTTERS' UNION. I. mentioned some weeks ago that the Pressers and Cutters' Union intended to celebrate their 21 years of existence as a separate union by a smoke concert. It came off ■on Friday week, and proved a very enjoyable affair. There was a very good attendance of members. Mr W. J. Pavie (president of the union) made ,-i good chairman. The Hon. J. T. Paul gave a short address, which was much appreciated. He dealt with the need for solidarity in the Labor ranks, and urged the union to get into closer touch with other labor organisations, and especially to send a representative to the July conference, which he believed would be the greatest and most important Labor gathering ever held in the Dominion. He pointed out that if Labor was properly united it could rule whenever it wished. * The secretary gave a short h'storv of the union, pointing out that of the 20 original members 12 were still in the union, and gave a list of the presidents from the commencement up to the present time. He stated that, although a very small unbn, never having more than 23 members until four years ago, when the cutters joined, -they had given about £BO to assist other unions, and had spent about £4O or. conferences. At the end of last year they had a balance of over £BO, showing that the union had been very economically managed, seeing that the contributions were only 3d per week. During the 21 years there had never b*en a lew struck. Mr G. Newton (the fhst president of the union) also gave a short address, 'especially urging -he young iiscr.ibm-g to take up the work and carry the union on, as .the older members had already done their share. The toasts were:—"The King" (proposed by the chairman), "Past Officers" proposed by the chairman and responded to by Mr G. Newton and several others), lhe federation" (proposed by Mr' R Slater, and responded to bv the Hon. j! T. Paul). During the evening several musical items, songs, recitations, and readings were given, and much appreciated. * * *' * * * # A NEW METHOD OF "SPEEDINGUP." Of the many uses to which moving pictures have been put one mission (says the i , i corres P°ndent of the 'Standard ) has been found for them that serves an eminently practical purpose. In this new field cinematograph films are improving the workman's work and enabling factories to produce a greater amount of finished goods in the same time and with the same force. A manufacturing concern in Providence, Rhode Island, has adopted the moving picture as an adjunct to its business, and the result is remarkable. While actually performing his work the mechanic is photographed. Every movement by him is recorded on the films. A clock was also devised to measure tho tims required for each motion The clock has only one hand, and this hand makes the circuit of the dial in six seconds. In every picture the clock appears, and thus the time for every movement is recorded, and a study may be made of an entire operation in detail, and useless Motions «l.ininat?d. Amons; the reforms brought about in this way -nay be noted one operation that forn.erlv required minutes to complete, but, o'n being revised by moving pictures, it is now done in less than nine minutes. Almost all of the processes have thus been cut down to one-half the time they formerly required, whilst many have been cut clown to one-quarter. Among the good results to the workman from this reform may be mentioned an increase of 20 per cent, in the earnings of those doing piecework, because of the additional quantity of articles they produced or the increased amount of work they performed. This has meant a greater output by the factory and an ability to sell the output at a lower figure. This reduction in selling price has naturally increased the business of the establishment, and made necessary the employment of more men. ******* THE GRAND ARMY OF LABOR, Statistics showing the state of the trade union movement in all lands have just been published by the ' Correspondesblatt,' the organ of the General Committee of the German trade unions. The figures for 19 countries are as under: Germany 3,061.002 England 5.010.346 United States ... 2,282,361 Prance 1,029.283 Italy 709.943 Austria 496.265 Belgium 189.455 Holland 153.659 Denmark 128.224 Sweden 116,500 - Hungary 95,180 Spain 80,000 Switzerland 78,119 Norway 53,850 Finland 19,640 Croatia 8,504 Servia 8,537 Roumania 6.000 Bosnia 5^587

I nfortunately, the relative percentage of the number of organised workmen to the total number is given only for seven countries, viz.:— Denmark, 51.75; Germany, 32.91; Norway, 27.64; Sweden, 21.88; United States, 19.86; Bosnia 11.64; and Italy, 9.49. There exist now 28 international federations of trade unions. Twenty-four of them have their central committees in Germany, one in England, one in Holland, and one in Switzerland. The greatest organisations are those of workers in metals, transport* printers, glassware, takers, building, tailors, and stonemasons. These include from 15 to 48 affiliated associations. The number of affiliated unions in the other trades varies from 3 to 15. *******

. An award covering the industry of grocers' assistants is the Sydney and Newcastle districts lias been issued. Hours are 53 for Newcastle and for Svdney. One hour is to be allowed for meals" in all shops except those that close on Friday night, where three-quarters of an hour is allowpd. As Regards oveilime, this has not to be paid where employees remain not more than 10 minutes after closing time. The maximum dailv time that employees may be detained is 20 minutes. For this, or any part of it, pay is to be allowed at half over ordinary rates for one-third of an hour. Work before 8 a.m. and on Sundays or holidays is to be paid for as time and a-ha!f. Wages range from 10s for boys of 15 to £2 12s 6d in Sydney and £2 15s in Newcastle. Women and girls may be paid 20 per cent, less than men and boys. Carpenters in Melbourne have been granted an increase of 5s 6d per week under a new Wages Board award just made. The hourly fate has been feed at Is 7d, as against Is s£d under the old award. Foremen carpenters have been raised from Is 7d to 2s per hour. The board has been sitting nine months over the case. No matter how good your wages and conditions of labor may "be you want a strong union to assist you in maintaining the rights and privileges you have secured. You cannot expect to secure the full fruits of your labor without the assistance of a strong union,

More than two years ago the operative bakers of St. Nazaire, at the mouth of. the Loire, went on strike for better conditions of work, one of the chief points in their demands being the suppression of night work. They secured a signed agreement from the employers that nightwork should come to an end. After the strike, however, the leaders of the movement were dismissed in detail, and the employers then repudiated their undertaking, and reintroduced "night work. The Bakers' Union thereupon brought an action at civil law against the emplbyers for breach of contract. A decision 'has just been given, after the lapse of more than two years, by which the operative bakers of this French town were nonsuited on grounds which, if sustained in similar cases, will endanger the effective force of the trade union movement in France. In fine, the decision rests on the ground that the Bakers' Union have no " civil personality" entitling them to bring an action at law. On the other hand, the operative bakers of St. Nazaire cbntend that their unuln, regularly formed 15 years ago, have been recognised by the local authorities during the whole of that time as a perfectly legal organisation. *******

It is interesting to learn that the Public Service Corporation of New Jersey (U.S.) has just established a minimum wage of 36s a week for all girls and women in its employ, thus in some cases more than doubling the wages of the employees. This action is tho result of. an investigation conducted by.a welfare committee of the corporation, which made it clear that it was impossible for women and girls to live self-respecting lives unless they were paid not only a living wage, but one that would ensure some of the comforts of life. In announcing this new minimum wage project to the women employees, the chairman of the corporation said that the rise in salaries was not to be considered as a New \ears gift, but as a New Year's right for every woman to be in receipt of a living wage.