THE LABOUR MOVEMENT

Evening Star, Issue 20586, 11 September 1930, Page 19

THE LABOUR MOVEMENT

[By J.S.S.] Brief contributions on matters with reference to the Labor Movement are invited. MOTHERHOOD OR CHILDHOOD ENDOWMENT. The principle of childhood or motherhood endowments, with particular reference to that aspect or it embodied in the New’ Zealand Family Allowances Act, was hostilely criticised at the recent industrial conference of unions. At first sight such an attitude is capable of serious misunderstanding. But underneath this attitude there is to be discerned the fear that such schemes, interpreted by the light of experience, may be the cause of serious grievances, as well as causing dissension in the rank and file of the industrial movement. Childhood or motherhood endowment moans that there shall be a certain weekly payment made to a mother or a child, apart and separate from the husband s earnings. On the assumption that there is a standard minimum wago for everybody, it is reasonable to suppose that a State allowance granted to a mother or child would be very beneficial to most working class families. But the critics state that so far as New Zealand vis concerned, and from the point of view of some unions, the Family Allowances Act has not proved a success. Most Labour political objections have been that the allowance is altogether inadequate, although the principle of endowment is not condemned. It is claimed that the slogan of the trade union movement for many years has been for a nigh standard wage, advocates before conferences with the employers, conciliation councils, wago boards, arbitration courts, and disputes committees always stressing this point. It is held that the standard wage should include provision for a married man with children, and there should be no distinctions made in the matter of wages between single and married workers. To make these distinctions was to shift the responsibility of employers and industry on to the shoulders of single workers. An argument used against the Family Allowances Act was that it tended to prevent wago increases being given. In support of this view the case is quoted of an employers’ advocate’s statement during the hearing of the Dunedin shop assistants’ dispute in the Conciliation Council that the increase in wages asked for by the union would preclude any of the workers claiming any benefits under the Family Allowances Act. The Act provides that where the husband is receiving not more than £4 a week an allowance of 2s a week is payable for each child in excess of two under the age of fifteen years. It is claimed to, be unfair that the Workers’ Compensation Commission should come to the conclusion that it was equitable to reduce single men’s compensation by £1 a week, and give an extra portion to the wife and children of married men. * * * * DUNEDIN CARPENTERS’ UNION. Usually when a union desires to confer special benefits upon its members it is necessary to impose a levy over and above the ordinary subscription. The ordinary working levy is mostly required for meeting the general costs incurred in the running of the union. It is to the distinct credit of the Dunedin Carpenters’ Union that in tho putting into operation of its accident and funeral allowances it has not been necessary to exact any fresh tribute. Tho members’ subscription amounts to 6d weekly, and for this small cost, aside from questions of protection of rights and good wages and working conditions, there are benefits which allow tho relatives to receive £lO on the death of a financial member and give an allowance of 10s weekly for ten weeks to any financial member meeting with an accident. A proviso regarding the accident benefit is that victims shall not receive it until they have been in receipt of compensation under tho terms of tho Workers’ Compensation Act for no less than eight weeks. The clause is designed to lessen the hardships suffered by men, many of whom have dependents, as the result of their being laid aside for a prolonged period. Local carpenters, by their affiliation with the Dunedin branch of tho Alliance of Labour, also enjoy the benefits of free legal advice when they meet with injuries. This scheme involves no additional levy, the union’s share of the working costs being met out of tho current account. Previously much expense had been incurred in assisting members to conduct their compensation business. The injunction to be obeyed in connection with the new scheme is that when members meet with injury in the course of their employment they must, after informing their employer, communicate with the secretary at once, who will immediately put them in touch with the council’s solicitors, so that the case may be investigated by competent practitioners, to the euid that they may receive the full amount of compensation to which they are legally entitled. The means adopted by the Carpenters’ Union in conferring benefits - pon its members is mainly the attention and control of a full financial membership, the burden all round being lighter when compulsion is exercised on all workers in the matter of payment of dues. At present this union is doubly sound_ as regards its credit balance to what it was in the Exhibition year, tho bringing to the mark of most'working carpenters being the chief factor in the achievement of this satisfactory state. A North Island branch was recently led to write stating that tho Dunedin branch appeared to nave the most satisfactory system of conducting a union in New Zealand, particularly in relation to the ways in which it assisted members. Naturally it is necessary to conserve and build up a union’s resources in order to bo prepared for nnforseen emergencies, and on this account no union can afford to make midisc-rimina ting grants, especially to frequent outside appeals. The carpenters endeavour to strike a happy balance between the extremes of parsimony and unnecessary generosity. * * * * WATERSIDERS’ ANNUAL CONFERENCE. Tho annual conference of the Watersiders’ Federation will be held towards the middle of November. Several important matters are expected to bo under discussion. The unemployment insurance scheme is a subject on which unanimity of outlook is desired, despite the fact that legislation may be in operation by that time. At present it is hoped that the deputation from the federation’s.officials which went before the Minister this week will have achieved success for its aims. Certainly modifications in the present scheme are needed if watersiders are not to suffer injustices. As there has been a big drain on the legal aid fund, this is expected to call for fresh action. _ By the rules of tho federation individual watersiders must contribute half a crown annually in order to contest compensation claims on behalf of injured members. The number of claims hoard in the courts arising out of accidents on the waterfront is a sure indication of the big legal expenses incurred by watersiders’ union's. Tho Dunedin Watersiders’ Union .members enjoy two kinds of benefits in connection with compenisation claims. By their affiliation to the Otago Labour Council they

arc entitled to secure free legal advice, and by their affiliation to the national body are ensured of adequate legal protection in the actual contesting or claims. Another question '.which will probably be fruitful of debate is that of the proposed levy of Is for or E a ' n ' ising purposes designed by the New Zealand Alliance or Labour. * * * # LABOUR MEMBER’S COMPLAINT. Those who make laws have not the powers to render them perfect. The process of time will reveal weaknesses and injustices even in the best intentioned legislation. In regard to social legislation, of which New Zealand was in the past very proud, pointed reference is frequently made by parliamentarians and others to injustices which occur in the working of an Act. Two such complaints, one of which reierred to Civil Servants’ superannuation, and the other to old age pensioners, were recently made by Mr C. H. Chapman, Labour M.P. In regard to the first, ho stated that the widows of Civil Servants suffered hardships by reason of the fact that they were only in receipt of £3l a year as a pension, irrespective of the _ positions held by their husbands during their lifetime. £3l a year was insufficient to keep anybody comfortably, especially those widows, who would Lave reached the age where they Were incapable of going out to work. He pleaded for an improvement in the position of oldage pensioners, who were very badly off unless they had a small income to add to the slender amount they received from the State. : He knew instances where men sixtv-fivo years of ago and over felt that they were badly treated because they were hot permitted to earn more than approximately £1 per week. If they earned more than that amount their pensions were reduced accordingly. In his opinion provision should be made whereby oldage pensioners and others who were drawing the widows’ pensions should he entitled to earn more than they earn to-day without their pensions being reduced. « « * * A STATE BANK FAVOURED. From his recent statements in the House of Representatives, Mr J. W. Munro. local Labour M.P., appears to hold decided views in favour of the establishment of a State bank, a subject frequently discussed and endorsed in union circles. Mr Munro stated, in the debate on the Financial Statement, that he wished to see a State bank established which would enter into active competition with the associated banks in the same way that the State Fire Insurance Department _ entered, into competition with the insurance companies. He said that; notwithstanding the years of hardship through which the farmers had passed, and the disabilities suffered by the secondary industries, business men, and even the Government, the banks had never before reaped such a rich harvest as during the past five or six -years. The Commonwealth Bank of Australia, established by a Labour Government, had been one of the romances of the world of banking; but unfortunately the bank there did not go quite far enough, because Labour was not sufficiently long in office. He believed that a State credits bank was needed, which would have the power of the State behind it, and which would make advances to fanners on their security at a lower rate of interest than had been ruling in the country for some years past. Tho bank would not be for the purpose of making profits, but for tho advancement of money at the lowest rates of interest Ho quoted tho success of tho State Advances Department. What had been tho cause of tho success? It was simply because tho department set out to make advances on better conditions, from the _ borrowers’ point of view, than the private money-lending institutions could give. This department had invested to-day more than £40,000,000, yet when it had been established people had said that borrowers would let it down, and that the Government would lose money. ■#* * * YEARLY PAY FOR LABOUR. Senator James Couzens, of Michigan, probably the richest man in the United States Senate, says that employers should pay labour by the year, and that this would stabilise employment. In an article in tho * Survey-Graphic ’ magazine, Senator Couzens declares: — “If every industry were to pay its men by tho year instead of by the'hour or the day, industry would find a way to stabilise its production so that it got its money’s worth. For industry has a way of solving its problems when it has to. “ Competent management finds a way to go through periods of depression, and it can find a way to help its workers through them.’* To show that tiiis is merely an extension of present practice, the Senator says:— ‘‘ There are many industries in this country which have stablised dividends. There are great railroads, great utility companies, great manufacturing concerns, which send their quarterly dividends to their stockholders whether times are good or bad. “ They take the fat years and reserve enough to stabilise thqir- dividends for the lean years. ' “ What to correspond with that does industry do for labour? Do our industries take anything out of their good years, their periods of high employment, to stabilise the income of the workers during the off seasons and hard times? Not many that I have heard of.” Senator Couzens has no patience with the outcry against Government “ interference ” with such matters. “ if American industry does not accomplish stabilisation of the incomes of workers, the American Government will,” he declares. “My conception is that Government is for tho purpose of protecting human beings, and when industry does not protect human beings, Government will step in.”