THE ARBITRATION ACT.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 38, 27 January 1912, Page 5

THE ARBITRATION ACT.

WHAT THE SEAMEN S SETTLEMENT MEANS. OUTSP O K E N STATEM E X T S. ’BY TELEGRAPH — SPECIAL. J (Own Correspondent.) Wellington. Jan. 27. The success which has attended tiie conference of the Seamen's Union delegate:' and trie* shipowners from the workers' point cf view has. it is represented, raised the whole question of the Arbitration Court and the legal enactment under which it is constituted. Opinion in labour circles in Wellington is to the effect that the Court is essential to the maintrnance of the smaller union-, and the just recognition of the rights of the workers who are members of tLc-'p unions. How the Act. however. i' viewed by tiTe larger organisations may well be gauged by the statements published below. THE SEAMEN S CASE. A representative of the “Post today interviewed Mr. M. Belcher, who for years has occupied a foremost position in the ranks of the Seamen's Union, and who is chairman of the Dunedin Harbour Board. “Is it your opinion." Mr. Belcher was a-ked. “that the Act ha< become a negat ion “With regard to the application of the Conciliation and Arbitration Act.” Mr. Belcher replied, “it may be said right here that so far as the Seamen’s Union, at all events, is concerned, it has absolutely decided that the Act is not of any earthly use to us. We have turned it right clean, and in all probability we will never invoke the aid of the Act or the Court again.” “Why he was asked. “This conclusion,” he answered, “has been brought about by stern experience. The seamen of New Zealand have been before the Arbitration Court since 1894, when the Act came into operation. Our organisation has only got a verv few crumbs of comforrt from the Court and they have now ‘hit out’ to make their own terms with the employers I may interpolate,” he continued “that we have every- desire to observe the laws of the country, and we also desire to observe the rules of arbitration, but again, from experience. we find that not withstanding the weight of evidence that has beer adduced by the seamen with regard to their conditions, both at sea and in barbcui'. they have received little or no recognition from the Arbitration Court,” THE ACT S BENEFICIAL EFFECT. “It is beyond doubt that a majority of the unions in- New Zealand while they have been perhaps nur tured into existence by the oj*er.a t ; on of the Act. are now beginning to ‘feel their feet.' They are beginning to realise the power that they have at their command. and they are not going to allow a judge or any other individual to dominate their interests.” “IN THE HOLLOW OF HIS HAND.” “We have it on record that the President of the Arbitration Court, who bolds in the hollow of h : s hand the destinies cf the industrial worker, has said emphatically and categorically that he cannot see hi: way clear to improve' industrial con ditions or the wages of the worker.' When the most important tribunal in the world, vested vith power: that no other tribunal can exercise, says that the limit has been reached with regard to industrial matters, and when the workers find that they have not derived any advantage; from this tribunal, then, in my opinion, it is about time that thi. expensive paraphernalia should be turned down, and that the worker; should rely on their strong right hand to compel the employers to give fair and reasonable < onditions tc those who do their woik.

“We recognise that the Arbitration Act has had a beneficial effect so far as the stopping of sweating if concerned, and in so far as the levelling up of general conditions is concerned. We admire the political thought which brought it into operation, we know that it was enacted for a beneficent purpose, just as the trend of thought is going in the Old Country with regard to the re ferenee of national disputes to the Hague Conference. Nations have found it necessary instead of going to war to refer matters to a judicial tribunal for settlement, but a possibility may arise where a judicial settlement cannot be effected, and it may possibly mean, so far as nations are concerned, war. carrying with it the loss and devastation which accompany war. We as a union have concluded finally and decisively that we are going to take cur chance of a scrap. We believe ourselves now to be sufficiently well organised to be able to deal with any emergency which may arise with the employers, independent altogether of any intervention from the operations of the Arbitration Act. IN EFFECTIVE TRI BUN AL. •'Coming back for a moment to the position of the Arbitration Court in New Zealand, we look upon it as a x < rv expensive am! ineffective tribunal. and I think that I am expressing the views of the seamen of New Zealand when I say that they will Lave no more of it. COLLECTIVE BARt JAINING. "What we have gained by what is known in the Old Coaiitr.v as colLctive bargaining is the fact that the seamen of New Zeaiaud have •ecurcii the preference clause which Im- alv, ny- men denied us by the A ri ■::: at Court. V. <• have also si curt d :•!: •. al ttiny fo>- the stamen of New Zealand, who hitherto have had to work tint Lours i.-m of the 21 impo-eit iniott them 1 -y t mp’.oy e: s.“ PRESIDENT OF THE TRADES COUNCILS VIEWS. Mr. Young. I’re-iuent of the Wei Im.gtt.n Trades t unned. n:.d w. . t ■■;. i f the Wellington Branch <»f the Seamen'- Union, wa- pre-> nt nt the

interview, and he was asked by the “Post" reporter how the Act was. in his opinion, likely to be affected by recent developments' “There are two important points involved m connection with the matter." lie replied, “and one must be entirely disassociated from the other. The first one may be classified as the system itself, the second its administration. After closelywatching the movement for a number of years. 1 am satisfied that the system is right (as introduced by the Hon. W. P. Reeves). L’p to a certain date its administration was equally right, but from that date the power to throw an n'.vard on one side and resort to strike was taken away from workers. The administration of the system has been entirely against the best interests of the working class. In my judgment the system is one essential for the encouragement of industrial organisation. and one essential for ' the maintenance and upkeep of the smaller and weaker unions, but so far as the larger organisation is concerned it takes from it the power it inherits I>y virtue of its orrganisation. SEVENTEEN YEARS' WORK. “So far as tlie Seamen’s Union is ■concerned, we have now endeavoured for a period of 17 years or more to improve the conditions of our members on board ship, and we have met with almost absolute failure under the system of conciliation and arbitration, but so far as the organisation of the body itself is concerned it has rendered us great assistance, for which we are thankful. This was in the matter of organisation of the whole- of the units forming the body, and vve feel, and I feel, that without its aid we should not probably be so well organised as vve are at the present moment. It must be borne in mind that whilst, operating under the system cf conciliation and arbitration we have foregone the power wc p( --,(s-cl ~>y virtue <■! combination, arid by foregoing that power we have equally foregone the proper recognition cf our organisa- ; tion by the employers, through the medium of preference to unionists. A CASE IN POINT. "If as a case in point it may be mentioned that up to last year the seamen of Australia ' have ' always settled thejr industrial troubles by means other than through the medium of the Conciliation and Arbitration Court, and during that period they have, in a greater or lesser form, always secured preference of employment to members of the union. During the same period we have opt rated the machinery ci conciliation and arbitration, and have failed to secure that essential protection to trade unionists. Foi the first time in its history Australia this year has secured an award from the Arbitration Court of the Commonwealth, and it is worthy oi note that it h.oUlost preference to unionists. For the first time in 11 years vve in New Zealand have ;< ttic.l cur trouble' with the steamship owners without invoking fhe aid of conciliation and arbitration, anil it is also worthy of note that for the first time in that period we have secured preference to*unionists. A GREAT CLAUSE. “I think I am sale in saying that ,vc at ttie present moment no not uidv possess rhe bert pieterence clause in New Zealand, but in mv opinion there is no other preference clause in any part of the world that equals it. fiiat, mmy judgment, is a fundamental difteiencc between conciliation and arbitiation. and the exercising of the p.-vet" po'-C'see. by the worker by virtue of eig.tni't cions. FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD. “There is this also.' Mi. Yeung concluded, “that by utilising cur power cf organisation vve have foi rhe first time in the history of the world secured the eight-hour day foi seamen, and that, standing by itself, spells a great victory.'’ WELLINGTON AGRELMEN T. [PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.) Wellington, Jan. 26. The agreement arrived at on Wednesday between the Federated Seamen’s Union and the shipowners prev ides, among-t other tiling*;, that overtime for boating cargoes in the roaelsti ad shall be i 9 per hour, working cargo 16. and chipping scaling inside of boilers 1,6. It shall be optional for any member of a crew to work overtime between 5 a.in. and 7 a.m. at the following ports, provided one fourth of the crew r< mains. on board Sydney. Melbourne. Adelaide, Auckland. Wellington. Lyttelton. Dunedin, ci his home pert, each man when joining a ship to declare his home port. When a vessel leaves any of the main ports on Sunday or holidays each member c£ the crew is. to be paid an extra day’s sea pay. Foi excursions on holidays each of the crew to be paid ! - per hour for the time the ship is so employed, the minimum payment to be 4-. On short trips and where only two firemtn or greasers or trimmers are carried the watch will be six hours on and six off. The crews of all vessels are* to be entitled to the following holidays in p«*rt:--New Year's Day. Gooel Friday, Sovereign's Birthday. Labour Day. C hristmas Day and Boxing Dav. * The agreement comes into force on March Ist. and r-.all remain in force until Fc-bruary 2Sth. If) 14. anil thereafter shall continue in force until a new agreement is entered into. The agreement does not affect the \ii.i* :ma.