THE LABOR MOVEMENT

Evening Star, Issue 17823, 21 November 1921, Page 3

THE LABOR MOVEMENT

[By Vkiwun.]

Brief contributions on matters with reference to the Labor Movement art invited. DEFENCE OF THE FORTY-FOUR HOUR WEEK. Speaking at the annual mooting of tho Chamber of Commerce at Orange, New South Wales, Mr* Dooley, the new Premier, made a spirited defence of the Bovermnent’s attitude in regard to arbiiration, wages, and hours of work. He said : “ Some people are wondering whether the time for the regulation of the wages and conditions of the workers by arbitration is past. They should remember that tho policy of Australia has been to refer all matters between employer and employee to the decision of a judge, it von want to destroy that system, do so. Rut before destroying that system he advised them te consider whilt they were going to put in its place. * ‘ With regard to tho forty-four hour question, we passed an Act giving a judge permission to consider the question of whether a forty-four hour week should be applied, and to what industries. His decisions may be right or they might bo wrong; but we know of no better system. “We gave a promise during the war that we would make things better for the men who went away, and returned. Must wo not do something to fulfill that promise? When they asked for land it was often not made available to them as cheaply as owners might have done. There are instances where more than the full price has been obtained for land for soldier settlement. . The Government has given those who wanted to go on the land their opportunity. But we promised those who work in factories and offices something, too—and we are giving them a slight reduction in their hours of work. If that reduction is not taken advantage of to build up a higher character and better standard generally, then it will be no good. But if it is utilised, as I believe it will bo. by the worker to improve his character and status, to cultivate a bettor homo life, and to improve his physical condition, all making for the advancement of Australia, then it will be a distinct advantage to the people generally. “The policy of shorter hours was initiated by my late chief.- John Storey, and I honestly believe that he regarded it as something towards the redemption of the promise wo gave the men who went away to fight for us.” Beplvino- to a statement published in the S.M. ° Herald ’ that the Labor Party to-day stood for direct action. Mr Dooley said , _ ~ “ Tho ideals of the Labor Party are the same to-day as they havo always been, although in stating that hitherto we have formally stood for ‘ compulsory arbitration, constitutional rule, and the like,’ the ‘ Herald ’ admits that what is said about us at the last election was untrue. “ We stand to-day, as we have always stood, for ensuring to the worker the full results of his industry, and for the achievement of this ideal by tho adoption, of constitutional methods,” ho declared. “ As a matter of fact, the Labor Party is more steadfast in its adherence to constitutional methods to-day than ever before.” Mr M'Girr, Minister of Labor, said : “ Had the workers now working the fortyfour hour week attempted to achieve that object by direct action they would have been told that tho constitutional procedure of tho Arbitration Court was tho proper method to adopt. Since this is the very means they did adopt, the workers are criticised just tho same, and are told that they are not entitled te forty-four hours. Seemingly the idea is that they are not to have any rights save those conceded by the employers.” * * -» * DEGREASE IN BASIC WAGE. Recently the New South Wales Board of Trade inquired into the question of the basic wage, and decided that a reduction of 3s per week should be made; but this could not be given effect to until the Arbitration Court gave judgment on tho question. When the matter came before the court the decision of the Board of Trade was confirmed, and it was decided that tho reduction must apply to all existing awards. While the cases were being hoard the union advocate, Mr E. J. Stein, pointed out that the proprietors of the “ Hoskins ” quarries had practically flouted the court by reducing the wages the moment the Board of Trade had made its decision. The legal representative of Hoskins, on behalf of the Ann, then gave his assurance to the’judge that they would Immediately refund the money taken from the men. not waiting for the due date of any decision in their favor from the court, and. tho judge accepting that assurance, the case was gone on with and the judge ratified tho application for a reduction in accordance with his decision in the previous cases that had taken place during the day, and ordered that the reduction take place fourteen dpys after the gazette! of the court's order. * * « * GUILD MOVEMENT IN BRITAIN. The furnishing trade is to have its guild, and, like the Building Guild, it is to make a start in Manchester (says tho London ‘Daily .Herald’). But the Manchester Guild will be but the nucleus of a National Furniture and Furnishing Guild. The plan of the promoters is to work in closest conjunction with the Building Guild, and when the necessary credit has been obtained there is a scheme ready foxdevelopment by which tho houses of the workers will not only he built and furnished by tho workers, but insured by and with tho workers, and the rents of these and all other working-class houses paid also through the workers’ organisations. _ The birth of the second guild is heralded in tho current copy of the ‘ Furniture Workers’ Review,’ in an article which the imprimatur of A. A. Purcell, who has long been pledged to such a development in the furniture interest. Ultimate complete self-government in the industry is the first aim. “ The guild,” it is further declared, “ will be able to give a cheaper and better article than the to give the public a better show; but it will be able to do something higher than this—namely, to create among workmen a lasting interest in service for the community as against the existing law of exploitation of the community for the few. “It will set itself the supreme task of showing that it is possible to work industry on a no-profit basis, that labor must be the first charge on industry, and that it is as practical and scientific as the present condition is sordid.” * « * * THE UNION MAN AND A MEMBER OF A UNION. The member of a union is the man who pays his dues only when ho is forced to. • Usually he comes to meetings only when he has an axe to be ground. He is the man who will always say that tho union Ipis never given him anything, as he would get good wages if there never was a union in existence. And he cannot see what the officers are doing with all tho money. The union man is a Very different person. He attends his meetings regularly, takes part in the debate that is in the interests of the union, never permits himself to be suspended, and is always ready to extend a friendly hand or act to any brother that may be in. distress. You can find him in a union shop because ho is a union man at heart. And to-day the great union movement is carried on by the union men, and not by the so-called members of a union. The union man criticises when criticism is justified, and fights for what he thinks is right. The so-called member of a union kicks at all, things and never fights for anything.—Auckland ‘Engineering Record.’ ■

The Frenchman who was struggling with the intricacies of our tongue was feeling disheartened, “English is a queer language,” he remarked to his tutor. “ What does this sentence mean: ‘ Should Mr Noble, who sits for this constituency, consent to stand again and run, he will in all have a walk-over’l”