THE LABOUR MOVEMENT

Evening Star, Issue 22879, 10 February 1938, Page 16

THE LABOUR MOVEMENT

[By Teade Unionist.] CLERICAL WORKERS’ DISPUTE. There commenced on Tuesday raornng, in Wellington, a Dominion dispute .or clerical workers, created under the jurisdiction of the New Zealand Clerical Workers’ Association, a body just recently registered under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act with its registered office at Wellington. From reports to hand there are seven clerical unions affiliated to the association, but there aro several smaller clerical unions, registered under the 1.0. and A. Act since tho new legislation was enacted, that have not so far linked up with the newly formed association or in any way associated themselves with the Labour Movement either industrially or politically. Tho unions concerned in the dispute at present before the Dominion Conciliation Council at Wellington have been working for some time drafting their now claims, as it was thought that the present local awards having been obtained somewhat hurriedly, and being in most instances first awards in an industry not previously organised, want of experience on all sides had resulted in several anomalies. A very comprehensive set of claims has been drafted, making provision for tho various grades of clerks that were not previously provided for.

The union in its claims for male workers is asking for a starting wage of 20s for the first half-year for juniors under 16 years of age, rising in 4s increases each half-year up to the second year, then approximately 7s 6d per annum up to the eleventh year, when the wages requested for the eleventh year will be £6 a week. A commencing. wage of 20s is asked for females under 17 years of age, with 4s increases each half-year to the end of the second year, and then 7s 6d increases per annum until the seventh year, when the minimum rates requested are £3 15s a week. In the various offices, such as retail, manufacturing, and transport establishments, including general offices, a straight-out 40-hour week is being claimed. Overtime is claimed at time and ahalf rates. In addition to the statutory holidays 14 days annual holidays are being asked for. The duration of the award, as stated in the claims, is for one year. The Conciliation proceedings are likely to take three days,' but at this 'stage it is difficult to state whether a settlement will be reached or not. If not, the dispute will be referred automatically to the Arbitration Court. **♦ • ’ A BLANKET CITATION CLAUSE. Since the passing of the Industrial Conciliation Act, 1937, the Arbitration Court is inserting in all its awards the following clause under the heading ‘ Application of Award ’ “ This award shall apply to the original parties named herein, and shall extend to and bind as subsequent party hereto every trade union, industrial union, industrial association, _ or employer who, not being an original party hereto, is when the award comes into force or at any time whilst this award is in force connected with or engaged in the industry to which this award applies within the industrial districts to which this award relates.” Previous to the I.C. and A. Act being amended unions of workers .had to cite all employers who were known to bo engaged in the industry affected by the particular award that it was desired should be made. This frequently resulted in a number of employers being left out and not bound by the award, unless they commenced in business after the award was made; then, of course, they became subsequent parties. The position caused a considerable amount of friction between employees and their union, with the result that as soon as it was discovered a hurried application had to be made to add them as parties to the awards, but the wages and conditions were still not enforcable until the court actually added them. , The clause quoted above, now being inserted in the awards, overcomes all the previous trouble experienced, and is more satisfactory to employers and employees alike. • • • * RISE IN UNITED STATES WORKLESS “ NOT ALARMING.” Leaders of American Labour take a less pessimistic view than do many people about the prospects of trade and employment in the United States. The American Federation of Labour, the equivalent in the States to the Trades Union Congress in England, says: “ It is true that unemployment has increased at a time when industry normally takes on workers for the ‘ fall ’ busy season, but the increase is not large enough to cause alarm.” Trade union figures show the unemployment percentage in November had risen to 10.7 per cent., which was exactly the figure reached in the setback of 1934. In the federation’s opinion business now is “ in a recession comparable to that which delayed recovery in 1934.” If this view proves correct, we shall see substantial recovery on the other side of the Atlantic early in the new year. In the States, as in Britain, the problem of the unwanted older unemployed man is causing special concern to trade union leaders. If a man becomes unemployed after the ago of 45 in Britain he stands little chance of re-employment in industry. It is worse in the States, where employers are now refusing to hire persons over the ago of 35. They are also persistently weeding out the older men who may still be in employment. The American Federation of Labour is denouncing this policy as costly economically and socially. Recently the Works Progress Administration, which has provided work for many older workers, made a study of such workers in seven cities. The men were mostly bricklayers, stonemasons, carpenters, and painters. The result is interesting. It was found that their work was thoroughly satisfactory, judged both on quality and quantity. But employers cannot easily be persuaded to keep on or re-employ the older men, either in the United States or in Britain. What are we going to do about it? Our most direct and effective way in Britain to compel employment of ’ the older men is to shorten the working week and strictly regulate overtime. That group of people which calls itself “ An Ox-der of Friends ” and which started' the Brynmawr experiment six years ago, has its own ideas about how to provide for the older men. These ideas arc described in the first number of the society’s quarterly entitled ‘ Towards the New Community,’ and they are based on the experiments in “ subsistence production ” in Lancashire and South Wales.

It is suggested that new self-con-tained villages should bo built outside tho depressed areas, but near to them, each to house 250 families of unom-

iloyed men on the means test who are aged 45 and upwards. They would produce as much as posable for their own needs, and any surplus in some lines would be exchanged with subsistence production societies established for similar families in their own derelict towns. Cost of the proposed new communities would be £112.500 for a group of 250 families, while the production society would need something over £9,000 for 125 families. The “ Order of Friends ” intends to establish a community of 50 families at its present dairy farm at Llandegveth (in the eastern valleys of Monmouthshire), and will start building early in the new year. Experiments of this well-intentioned group are watched with interest and sympathy, even by people who recognise that the experiments deal with consequences, not with causes. * » * * * FORTY-HOUR WEEK IN FRANCE. In view of all that has been said in criticism of the 40-hour week law in France, there is much importance attached to the report now issued by the joint commission of French employers’ associations and trade unions. This commission was set up last summer by the Chautemps Cabinet to report on the possibility of increasing national production. The report declares that if all employers carry out loyally the existing law and the workers agree to apply such variations as are provided by that law whenever it seems necessary, French production will be increased without touching the principle of the law itself. Coming as it does from both sides in industry, that declaration should finally put an end to speculation about the, permanence of the Jaw. But that report does much more by its searching criticism of the present defective organisation of industry in France. Equipment of some industries is out of date, there is tremendous waste in overlapping, technical organisation and scientific research need development, and generally there is need for rationalisation in the best sense of that term. An interesting suggestion is that public and private activities must be coordinated, so that all economic activities can be directed towards the general interest of the community. When it is remembered that a large part of French industry is still carried on by little concerns, it is plain that France may be on the eve of very big changes in the form of its industrial organisation. # * FOUR LANDS READY FOR BOYCOTT. Representatives of workers’ organisations in four countries recently took action towards a boycott of Japanese goods. In the United States (says the British United Press) the appeal was issued by Mr William Green, president of the American Federation of Labour. He asked all unions affiliated to his organisation to make the federation’s boycott effective immediately. Representatives of transport workers and seamen’s organisations of the three Scandinavian countries Denmark, Sweden, and Nonvay—took their decision after a meeting at Gothenburg. They declared that they are ready to join a blockade against the transport of Japanese goods on the condition that the initiative is taken by the International Union of Transport Workers. • * » * SILENCE BY AGREEMENT. British miners’ delegates who returned from Russia recently brought back a handsome gold casket presented to the British Mine-workers Federation by the Russian miners, to mark the occasion of the first visit of an official delegation from the M.F.G.B. (Miners’ Federation of Great Britain). Placed in the custody of Mr Joseph Jones, who led the delegation, it will probably be produced with due ceremony when the executive of the federation meets in London. Members of the delegation speak highly of the welcome they received and the facilities placed at their disposal. As to what , they saw and what opinions they formed, we must await the preparation of their joint report. Meantime, anyone approaching them with a question in his eye is met with “Ssh! Our lips are sealed!” That, as Mr Jones has already pointed out, is by mutual agreement. • • • • UNEMPLOYED MEMBERS OF UNIONS. Unemployment among members of reporting trade unions reached its lowest level in Australia for 10 years at the end of 1937 Since the maximum point in 1932 unemployment has diminished hy 218 per thousand members until in December last .year unemployment among members of reporting trade unions was 8.2 per cent. . With the exception of Tasmania, New South Wales had a greater percentage of unemployed trade unionists than any other State. • • • • WORKERS SUPPORT HEALTH FLAN. • Those proposals for treatment centres for the patched-np victims of accident, put forward by the joint committee of the Trades Union Congress and the British Medical Association, have been cordially welcomed in the great industrial areas. ■ A letter from a* man employed at a dock centre illustrates the need. 44 I met with Jin accident last May* sustaining a ruptured bicep in the lef* arm,” he writes. “ After six monthscompensation X was told by the doctoi I should get light work. “ I started a few weeks ago. After doing one week’s work I was stood off. “ I am 57 years of age, and have been with the one firm for 39 years. What chance have 1 now to get light work?” As the T.U.C. and B.M.A. told the Government Committee recently, “the problem of rehabilitation should be examined on the assumption that, for practical purposes, there is no light work available.” _ Yet a substantial proportion of the victims of accidents are only fit, when they leave the doctor’s hands, for light work. The proposed centres would be residential establishments where such people would, through suitable exercise and treatment, be restored to full physical and mental health. It was emphasised that the centres should be independent, in the sense that they would be free from any influence by employers, insurance companies, or any other interested parties. Patients, it was laid down, should not be subjected while at the centres to examination by doctors on behalf of either the employer or the worker. 1,000,000 DEMAND 40-HOUR WEEK. On behalf of more than 1,000,000 British textile workers the Government is to be urged to ratify the 40-hour week convention adopted by the International Labour Office at Geneva. Textile union leaders decided at a meeting in Manchester, presided over

by Mr Arthur • Shaw, secretary of the National Union of Dyers, Bleachers, and Textile Works, to approach the Minister of Labour as soon as gossible. They represented workers in cotton, wool, linen, hosiery, lace, hemp, and lute. It was expected that the deputation would bo sent immediately after the International Textile Workers’ Conference at Blackpool in January to conicier the best means of securing ratiication of the convention. Continental anxiety over Britain’s delay in ratifying the convention led to the calling of the Blackpool conference. ... ; The decision in Manchester chiefly affects 400,000 Lancashire cotton operatives, 200,000 Yorkshire textile workers, the lace, hosiery, linen, and jute workers’ unions, and the Scottish Council of Textile Unions.