INDUSTRIAL UNIONS

Grey River Argus, 17 June 1936, Page 7

INDUSTRIAL UNIONS

AND NEW LAWS Hours Question CLOTHING TRADE TEST CASE. (Per Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, June 16. An appeal against the decision of the Registrar of Industrial Unions, in refusing to permit an auioadmeut of the membership rules to allow al! workers employed in laundries and dyeing and dry ‘deali ng works, to come under the Christchurch Tailoring. Dressmaking -and other clothing trade employees’ union, was heard in the Arbitration Court, this morning. The appeal was conducted by Mr J. -Roberts secretary of the union. The Court said the ease was no doubt important, and perhaps would affect workers in other parts of New Zealand as well as those in Christchurch Judgment, accordingly, would be reserved. DOMESTIC SERVANTS’ UNION. CHRISTCHURCH. June 16. Domestics employed in Christchurch homes, on Alay sth. formed an association which they hoped to make into a South Island Domestic Employees’ Union, but they have been ■able to do noth’ug since then because there is no provision in the new legislation removing the legislative l bar against awards for domestics provided by the Industrial Conciliation am! Arbitration Act of 1908. It is thought that, the Government intends Io make provision for ■wages and conditions of work for domestics under special legislation, but meanwh’le ’he work of organisation is being held up.

Special legislation, defining at least wages, hours of work, and holidays in a wav considered sufficient to protect domestic workers from exploitat on. i< thought bv union officials to be the most I'kely solution. Similar provisions ar 0 said to be under consideration for defining the position of farm hands. Meanwhile the association of domestics already' formed in Christchurch will probably go ahead ami obtain registration. 40-HOUB WEEK. CHRISTCHURCH, June 16. Largo numbers of applications for exemption from th ( > 40-hotir week a factories are being handled by Hie C'anterburv Employers’ Association, which will forward thorn to the New Zealand Employers’ Federation so that, evidence can be prepared for the Arbitration I'-mrt hearing, winch will begin at Well'ngton on June 22nd. The 40-hour week' will be introduced on September Ist but. employers are allowed to apply for exemption and seek permission to extend the hum's to not mor,, than 14. The employers’ association has sent out aoplieation forms for this purpose. It scents that a large proportion of the manufacturers in the various industres in Cauterbmy ate applying for exemption. ONE BIG UNION. (To the Editor.) S'.,-. —I rc ad with great interest Mr Jas. Roberts’ article on the proposed new organisation covering the whole ol New Zealand for industrial labour. This is long overdue and as is well known most of the opposition to the creation of One Big Union came from the local officials of the small (com paratively) eral’l. Unions. In some few cases this opposif on was caused by fear of Hie loss of their jobs; >" the majority ol instances it nas dm to n plentiful lack of umh'rstamliiig on Hie part of these gentlemen, a not unnatural dislike to see their own small outfit absorbed into a big concern and a fear of taking chances under a Tory Administration. Be the cause what it may we must recognise the fact that in small Unions (and to an appreciable extent in some of the larger organisations also) Hie strongly expressed opinion of the dulv elected' officials will swing the great majority of th e members’ votes. Ihe old conferencf. idea wh'ch Air Roberts proposes to revive is as dead as Coates and Forbes; it has failed in the past for the very reason he indicates: viz: that the Conference is composed of representatives fioin at least two major organisations who uppear io be more eonei’rned with who shall control the suggested now body than with getting on with the job of making it function. Now Sir. during the last twenty years b have bee-n on jobs all ovor the two Islands and I can honestly say that in conversation with workers of all sorts and conditions, I have never yet come in contact with on,> who 'l’<l not strongly favour the principle of on,, large organisation, with a uniieisal ticket functioning over the whole of New Zealand. I would suggest that Air Roberts and those -associated with him in Hie proposed organisation should trv working direct from Hie other <.nd' of the job .for a commencement this time. Let 'there,- !».; taken, under Government supervision, a ballot throughout the whole of the union members of the country on on e simple issue:—“Arc you in favour of the creation of one national organisation for labour with a universal ticket coverin''' the whole Dominion?” When you have- th e result of the ballot you ha.vii definite instructions from members to their organisations and the Conference may then he safely called because the delegates are not representing, sav, either the Trades -ami Labour Councils or the Alliance, ol Labour, but are there undyr a direct mandate from the whole of organised labour to do a specific, job. There may' be more modem ways than the above, but of this I -am firmly assured, that you will never make a complete of the proposal in question until the initiative comes from the rank and tile and functions (as if should in any sensibh. and democratic community) from' the bottom up. I am etc., ip. MORANT, AVelicka, June 15th.