GUILD OR UNION?

Evening Star, Issue 18094, 9 October 1922, Page 3

GUILD OR UNION?

TO THE EDITOR. gir,—Every lover of fair play must be under a-vdebt of gratitude to Mr Evans for bringing before the public, and more especially the employees of the warehouses in this city, tho way which the employers are trying to break up the arbitration union, which since its inauguration three years ago has worked smoothly and well. Wo all know that stocks have depreciated, and that business has beep carried on at a loss; but whoso fault is this? Not tho employees’ at any rate, yet they are now being expected to share part of the loss. During the war period, when stocks were low and prices soaring, it : was quit© a common thing for a firm to order three, four, or oven five times as many goods as were required so that there would be a chance of getting at least a portion of the order. Than all at-.ollfia.

the whole of the accumulated goods were dumped out here, and the prices were such os to bo almost prohibitive, and, as was only to bo expected, the goods havo depreciated in value. What I want to know is: What is wrong with the arbitration system? The court has already reduced ; wages 5s a week, while it looks \ery - much as if wo shall have to lose anothei 3s before long. How much more arc the ■’ warehousemen going to lose, and why single them out specially when there are dozens of industries which are in every bit as bad a plight as the warehouses of .this fair city? , ~ , Coming to the Clerks’ Guild, of which I tho hardware merchants paint such a rosy i picture, I, being-a clerk employed by a i certain firm whoso name is on tho guild, must enter my protest against, tho suggestion that everything is working well. No doubt to tho employers it. has been a bodsend, because, unlike the arbitration system, there are no hard-and-fast rules to work to. Mr Evans puts these questions: (1) Havo any of the assistants seen the agreement-? (2) Are any of them woiking under the agreement? (3) Have they roceived their promised increases of wages. Or (4) have they been subject to- a reduction as per the pronouncement of tho Arbitration Court without receiving any compensating increases? I would have liked the hardware merchants to have been more accurate before they assured Mr Evans that everything is O.K. One firm I know of has never given the employees the os bonus which was awarded to all woikcis in November, 1920, and the reason is, 1 suppose, because tho guild agreement did not mention anything about increases, though, seeing all other workers got the increase, there was no reason why the ones .on the guild should not have received the isame treatment. I As to tho first question, I have never ■ seen tho agreement. Evidently there is onlv the one copy, and anyone desirous of seemg it must hunt up the secretary. Why not have a copy displayed in each office or in some other convenient place, like all awards, which must he placed in a conspicuous place accessible to the workers? Tho answer to the second question is partly “Yes” and partly “No.’ The hours of work are quite all right, but many a time when business has been pressing I havo worked overtime, and_ have never received payment for it. _ Coming to the promised increases, question (3), for almost two years after the Clerks’ Guild was formed I received close on 10s a week under the rate specified by the guild agreement. Although I have received the guild rate for just a year now, I had my wages reduced 5s & week Iftsfc May, oven though for the previous two years I received 10s a week under the guild rate. Wo all know that it is necessary for employees and employers to unite with one another to make working conditions harmonious; hut how much easier it would be if the employers only set .the example! No doubt in some cases they do, hut the cause of tho whole trouble is through a few. j Personally, I do not know Mr Evans, but ;I am thankful to him for bringing the 'matter’up. Tho warehousemen must deI oido for themselves, but I have given my case as an example of what may_ ho ex- | pected. I put my faith in the guild, hut iit has been a big disappointment.—l am, etc., One of the Unfortunate Clerks. October 7. THE FLY PEST. TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Boferring to a “local” that was published in Friday night’s ‘Star,’ in which the medical officer of health draws the attention of the'General Committee of the City Council to tho danger of the house fly, I would like to point out that just prior to last Christmas tho inspector of nuisances gave authority for a fish cleaning works to be dumped down among a number of houses in Howard street, and since then, during tho summer .months especially, the fly pest has been unbearable. Everyone knows that works of this nature are real breeding dens for , flies, and I think it a disgrace that perI mission was granted. A petition from a largo number .of the residents has been forwarded to the City Council and the Otago Harbor Board in regard to this matter, and I think it an opportune time to ask the medical officer of health through the medium of your paper if lie will give his assistance to the unfortunate people living in this locality who are endeavoring to rid themselves of this menace to public health. — I am, etc., Householder. October 9.