GUILD OR UNION?

Evening Star, Issue 18093, 7 October 1922, Page 8

GUILD OR UNION?

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—Your correspondent “D.A.,” in appealing ior your assistance to bring the most questionable actions.of the Dunedin warehousemen before your readers, is most timely, and a. review of tbe position, commencing at a period early in 1919, will possibly be acceptable to yon. At that time tiio troops were returning from tbe front, amongst whom were a fair proportion of warehouse employees who were seeking civil employment, and were in many cases offered their previous positions at tho then existing wages, which were nuite inadequate for them to exist upon—so much so that quite a'number had to apply to the Employment. Advisory Committee of the Repatriation Board, of which-1 was a member, for financial assistance so that their total remuneration from their.employer and the board would amount to a minimum of £3 per week. Subsequently a deputation of warehouse employees appealed to mo to assist them in the formation of a union so that they could have the protection of the Court of Arbitration. It was reported to mo that the wages of employees at that time were as follow Men with upwards of nine years’ experience, £2 10s per week; with seven years experience, £2 5s per week; and with six years’ experience, as low as 20s per week; no overtime rates, no proportion of juniors to seniors, and no relief from the pressure of soaring prices—a position which could not bo further tolerated. The union was formed and duly registered in November, 1919. Claims were drawn up, and, not being agreed to by the employers, the dispute was ' tilled, notwithstanding the obstructive tactics of tho warehouse employers. A complete agreement was arrived at in the Conciliation Council, which was subsequently ‘made into an award, and it is that award which tho employees are now working under. In the main it followed the rates of wages obtained by shop assistants—viz., from 20s per week graduating to 7Ss per week, with the prescribed bonuses of the Arbitration Court.

The employers evidently did not approve of their workers taking advantage of tho court, as they arc aware that when tho Court of Arbitration makes an award the provisions of same may be enforced j so their present move is in the direction of inducing and even coercing the employees to forgo their union and all the advantages obtained therefrom and form a different organisation, which will he of little or no benefit to them, and the employers Can recognise any agreement that may bo’made or nob as they wish. With that object in view, a number of the employers (not all) simultaneously notified their respective staffs on September 8 as follows:

■—Notice lo Staff.—■ An important meeting of the staff will be held thfs evening at the close of business. This meeting is being held to consider the question of forming a guild in connection with the warehouses of Dunedin. As it refers to the question of terms of employment, all members of the staff are expected to be present and to hear a statement made of the position

to-day. 1 After having read the proposals, and with: out giving their employees’ any time for oonsidering*ame or without affording them an opportunity of discussing the matter with other employees in other establishments or notifying the Employees’ Union of their desire, they wished the employees in the individual establishments to immediately oome to a decision. Some did, others did not, and conditions are not at all pleasant for those who see the danger of complying with the desire of the employers. It must he clearly understood that it is the employers who want the employees to form a guild, and it is not a voluntary action by the employees themselves. The object, of course, is apparent, as the employers who prevailed upon their _ clerical assistants to form a guild predominate in the present move ; and what has been the experience of the Clerks’ Guild? Since the time that the employers, .with the assistance of the Clerks' Guild, prevented the clerics’ unions obtaining an award regulating their wages and conditions nothing more has been heard of'the guild, but the trail is covered with the broken promises of the employers. Have any of the assistants soen the clerks* agreement which was supposed to be drawn up? Arc any of them working under the promised agreement? Have they received their promised increase of wages, or have they, on the contrary, been subject to a reduction of wages, as per the pronouncement of the Arbitration Court, without receiving any compensating increase? Unless those questions can be answered favorably the employers concerned must remain charged with duplicity. lam enclosing a. copy of the proposals put before the employees in the wholesale hardware trade by the employers, which are similar to those placed before the employees of other warehouses. If you will allow mo space in a future issue of your journal I will deal fully with the employers’ proposals as submitted to their employees.—l am, etc.,

L. E. Evans, Secretary Dunedin Amalgamated Warehousemen’s Industrial Union of Workers.

[Enclosure.]

—Proposal to Put Before Employees.—

We have met to consider the position of employees in the hardware trade, in view of the very unsatisfactory results of trading during the past two years. Yon may not he aware of it, but the fact is that, apart .altogether from the heavy depreciation of stock values, the ordinary trading profits have been barely sufficient to pay working expenses, and consequently, with depreciation of stocks taken into account, the two years’ operations have- shown heavy losses. If this state of affairs continues it is clear that the proprietors or shareholder's of the various companies may consider trading under these post-war conditions absolutely hopeless, and it may lead to liquidation, or at any rale to a great curtailment of operations, which would mean reduction of staff.

Employers in Dunedin have done all they reasonably could in tjrc endeavor to maintain fair remunerative prices, but they are still faced with tiro position that the condition of trade holds out little prospect of anv dividends for shareholders at the end of’the current year. Under these circumstances you will easily see how absolutely necessary it has become to reconsider the whole position. It is to the interest of employers and employees alike that the trade "should be on a sound footing, and that the relations between employer and employee should bo in every respect harmonious, all working together to that end. Such harmonious relations can hardly be attained under present conditions while our employees allow themselves to remain under the "domination of a union. In Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch the employees of the softgoods warehouses have realised that fact. Up to last month oaoh centre had what was termed an “Employees’ Association,” and conditions varied somewhat. Now, in order to put these cities on the sa.mo level the individual employees’ associations held a meeting and formulated what they considered to be reasonable terms. Then they appointed delegates to meet the employers, and met with the executive of tlio New Zealand Warehousemen’s Association in Wellington. - That conference took place on the 18th of last month, and as a result of the samp an agreement was made to cover Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch under the provisions of the Labor Disputes Investigation Act, 1913. Among other things arranged, the following scale of wages was agreed to (scale followed), the hours of work to bo the sarno as pertain here in Dunedin. In respect to overtime. both employers and employees were unanimous that the working of overtime should as far as possible bo discouraged, but it was recognised that to avoid it the co-operation of both was necessary. It was also agreed that some overtime was inevitable, and in order to compensate employees for working such overtime without extra payment it was agreed that consideration should be riven in the form of extra, holidays on full pay—twelve work-ing-day holidays on fni]'*Tay in each year after twelve mouths' full service—such holidays us u.r as possible to be cousecu-

tive, and these holidays to be given in addition to statutory holidays, which are named.

As already pointed out, this agreement is in legal form under tho Aot of 1913. and is quite binding. It also makes provision for the settlement of any difficulties which may arise by a disputes hoard appointed by both parties. The main difference between working under such an agreement and working under a union award is that members retain their freedom, and are not subject to tho domination of a union. Take, for instance, the maritime strike of 1914, when a number of industries were seriously affected, and quite a large number of other unions than the maritime union wore called upon to cease work. Suppose such a thing occurred again, and you wero called .upon to down tools, what do you imagine the result of such action would inevitably be? The softgoods warehousemen’s employees in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch have recognised this very important aspect of tho case, and by their action in forming guilds show their disapproval of having anything to do with union awards. You are aware that the award under which you are now' working expired long ago, but, with the exception of the withdrawal of part bonus, in accordance with an order of tho court, no redaction has been made in wages. That scale of wages was drawn up at tho very top of the boom, but unfortunately in our changed circumstances it cannot be continued. We are therefore faced with the necessity of applying to the court for a reduction of the terms of the present award, unless our employees follow the lead of tho employers of the softgoods warehousemen in tho northern cities—Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch. It is further to be noted , that tho guild arrangement under which clerical staffs have been working has proved quite satisfactory to them, ami it would he advantageous to all concerned if tho whole staff in each warehouse worked under the one arrangement, as is now to ho the case with softgoods warehouse employees in the north. You will also recognise that unless some satisfactory arrangement can be made which will bo advantageous both tc employer and employee, it is inevitable that, however desirous employers may bo to keep on their hands, they will be forced to reconsider their attitude, especially in regard to juniors after the third year of service. Most employers desire to retain tho employees who have ' started with them, because it is from the ranks of such when they have passed beyond three years’ service that vacancies arising in sen impositions are usually filled. It is, however, becoming increasingly difficult to continue that policy. Referring again to the softgoods warehousemen’s agreement in the north, it ‘is necessary to point out that for the hardware trade forty-four hours per week cannot be accepted, and the hours worked in hardware establishments at present will require to be maintained.

EMPLOYEES IN EEPLY TO THE EDITOR.

Sir, —By your courtesy we have Ibeeu allowed to peruse a letter from Mr Evans on the subject of the guilds which are being formed by the assistants of the wholesale warehouses in Dunedin, and which makes particular maference to hardware houses. We have no objection whatever to Mr Evans seeking publicity—indeed, we are rather pleased to have it—but he should restrict himself to a true statement of facts. Mr Evans makes a statement as to current wages in the year 1919. We can only speak for hardware houses; but so far as they are concerned the statement is absolutely wrong. Wo Jcnow of no such insufficient wages having been paid, and to speak of a young man, having six years’ experience as a hardware assistant, being paid only £1 per week is absurd. Mr Evans refers to the fact that the provisions of an award made by the Arbitratlon Court may be enforced; but no does not mention, what is equally true, that the provisions of an'agreement, made with a guild under the Labor Disputes Act, can also be enforced. The difference from, the employers’ point of view is that, while with a guild of men employed m their particular trade, which is very technical and intricate, it is possible to make an 4Efreeinent suitable to the special jrv cumstances of the trade and satisfactory to both employer and employee alike. it is quite impossible to do so when derunm with a union which embraces all sorts c. businesses. Mr Evans writes as if employers were committing some deadly sin In seeking to arrange for their assistant-, forming a guild; but is there any reason why they should not? Tho fact is the* only a mere handful of the men employed in the wholesale hardware warehouses are ever; now members of the union, and we are quite sure that if any organisation had existed among those who did not approve of joining a union at the time the union was formed, there would have been no union so far as hardware bouses were concerned. Hardware employees know qni*-* wed that it is much more advantageous for themselves—at any rate for those win intend to become efficient—that Dry should negotiate their own terms with thenemployers. ~ , Mr Evans goes on to criticise the rae.imci of*tho employers* approach to their men, md states that they wished the men-to decide on the spot, without giving a-i;v time for consideration. Tins is net n accordance with fact. The employees were given ample time and opportunity. <o consider tho position. . Air Evans has a long paragraph an ieterence to tho Clerks’ Guild. His statements in this connection are absolute mm-,en-i> and quite inaccurate. The ngree-nm-U bo refera to is in the custody of tho oiiild's officers, and wo have no doubt is available to ©very member of It. the arrangement is working well, and in no instance has any complaint been made. Generally speaking, the assistants are o,,Re ns much alive to the needs, of ho situation as arc the employers, and the readiness with which the great majority t. lv „ agreed to the proposals for the formation" of a guild to manage onr own affairs is ample evidence of the face.—Wo are etc., Tiir, Dunedin Wholesale Hardware Merchants. [Wo have seen a duly-signed copy of the Gh-rks’ Guild agreement with the emplovers.—nd. E.S.]