INTIMIDATION !

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 3712, 23 December 1912, Page 5

INTIMIDATION !

MANAGER AND AIEN

BRISBANE TRAMWAY STRIKE RECALLED

[UNITED PEESS ASSOCIATION —COPYEIGHT]

(Received Dec. 23, 12.40 a.m.) AIELBOURNE, Dec. 22

In the Arbitration Court Justice Higgins made a lengthy statement dealing with the Tramway Employees’ Association case against the Brisbane and Adelaide tramway companies. He said the Brisbane company refused even to consider an agreement. It objected to everything. Tlie manager, Mr. Badger, adhered to the timehonored policy of absolute control over his own employees, and the existing agreement left the amount of wages payable absolutely at his discretion. Justice Higgins said ho regretted, to have to make an order with regard to the Brisbane Company's men, which lie had always previously refused to make, and that was preference for unionists. Tlie history of the case was painful and even', ghastly in the eyes of these who fancied there was liberty in Australia. No doubt nearly all tlie men who attempted to resign from the Brisbane Association did so under the intimidation of a man who could give or withhold their means of living. Mr Badger knew that if the employees resented tlie conditions of laber they feared unemployment more. In- Ins capacity- of benevolent despot he made ruthless use of this knowledge, playing off tlie natural desire of i lie men to support the wives and cb" Ten against their efforts to unite bf the improvement of conditions. lie did not desire tp restrict Air Badger in liis choice of employees, but the law left him no other means of protecting the members of tlie Association from Air Badger’s intimidation.