THE LABOUR WORLD.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 14167, 15 September 1906, Page 12

THE LABOUR WORLD.

NOTES AND PROBLEMS. , (By JOHN BARR.) The Trades Unions’ Congress, at present sitting in Liverpool, and which was publicly welcomed by the Lord Mayor of that city, is comprised of 490 delegates, representing 1,500,000 members. This Parliamentary Committee advises unionists to be no longer content to fight for a living wage. They must demand a higher standard of living, in order that their families might participate in alb the good things, and make life bright, happy and comfortable.

The success of the workers at the recent general elections in Britain, and their growing power in France and Germany, have caused them to realise that they are no longer in swaddling clothes. Thev “ have found their feet,” and having found them,, will use them, marching steadily onward and upward. In the past the workers have pleaded for a small measure of justice, but their pleadings were unheeded. They now demand justice, and are preparing all over the world to enforce those demands. In the past, and even at the present time, they have been told by preachers and teachers that “we should all endeavour to be content in the position: in which Providence has placed us, and if our sufferings were great here, great would be our reward hereafter.” They have become sick of that cant, and realise that Providence has takeir a very email share _in the matter. They realise that their position at the bottom of the ditch is solely through “ man’s inhumanity to man,” and they now want to he up out of the ditch, so that they may flee and enjoy the sunshine of life.

Even here, in this young country, we have misery and hunger and suicide, all arising . from our present industrial system. Recently a disheartened worker was found dead on the Cashmere Hills.' One day last week a, boy, eating his lunch on a seat in Cathedral Square, was asked by an old man, whom the boy described as awfully thin and hungry like, if he could spare him a bit of Ins lunch. Footsore and weary, too old to have much chance of a day’® work with so many,_ younger men idle, some, no doubt, will blame the drink. Not this time, my friends. We can lay a good deal at the door of the public house, hut there are other causes of misery as much in need of removal as the licensed houses.

After the Chicago exposures, both as regards the treatment of the tinned meats and the treatment of the employees, after all we have recently learned of the industrial evils, in what should be for all claeees of the community the greatest country in the world, I find a great ambition, with the owners of some of our manufactories in Christchurch, to adopt American methods in the conducting'of their establishments. One of the very worst of the American ideas that has been adopted in Christchurch is the speeding up system. Sinclair, in the “ Jungle,” describes the speeding up system as in operation on the killing beds, one man being paid more than another for The system adopted by tli© Christchurch admirer of American methods might be called more refined, although it acts to the same purpose. It is called the bonus system, which is just another name for piece work. I have seen it in operation both in America and at Home, and this is how it works out:—Take as an'dllustratioh the turning shop of an engineering firm. The turner goes up for a job, he gets his job, and at the same time what is termed a time sheet. The time at which he receives the job is marked on the sheet', also the time at which the job is to bo finished. Now suppose the time allotted is twelve hours. Should you complete it in eight hours you will get two hours overtime. The other two hours go to the bcss._ That may go on for three or four jobs, but sooner or later the time allowed is reduced;, and repeatedly reduced, until you are working at top from morning till night, and can barely get the work turned out in the time allotted. I must in justice state that if you do not do it in the time allotted you get the . regular wage, there being no deductions. But yj>u do not last many weeks in that shop. That is how I have seen the bonus system work out. Another trick that is also being played on the workers in the same firm is the harking back to the nine-hour day. In this instance it is oftener 9i hours. Now I want to appeal to the workers themselves to stop this. There is no need for overtime. There are plenty of men idle. To make nine and a half hours per day you have got to have your breakfast at six or before, but let us say six, with lunch at noon. That is six hours between meals.

I believe the greatest sufferers under the nine and a half hours’ day are metal workers’ assistants, and there is no question but it is a strong temptation to a man with a family to keep, to accept a few hours’ overtime, especially when the wage for an eight hour day is only 7s 4d. No doubt American methods are right for the boss.

but never for the workers as a whole. If it is right to keep but American trusts it is also right to keep out American sweating methods. In agitating to'keep out the Harvester* Trust the employers received the assistance: of the employees in keeping out the American sweating methods. I am afraid tho workers will be left to act On their own.

Melbourne builders have refused to lower hours of work of i bricklayers, masons, carpenters, plasterers, painters, labourers, etc., from to forty-four, as asked.

In New Zealand those in the building trade work forty-four hours as a rule, and I consider it long enough. In fact, the eight hour day and a Saturday hall-holiday is considered by the people or other countries to be universal in New Zealand. But those on the spot can tell a different tale.: Take, for instance, the hours of some of those employed in the dairying industry. Hie usual hours wrought, by milkers are eighty-eight per week, and for this they receive an average of 22s 6d per week and found. This is equivalent to 32s 6d, as the ordinary board allowance is only 10s. There are men working, not in Germany, or Britain but in and around Christchurch, in “ God’s Own Country,” thirteen and fourteen hours per day, from 8.30 in the morning to six and sometime® after in the evening. On Sunday they get off at 2 p.m., and all' for 22s 6d and found! The Union recently formed has certainly secured a little better „ conditions, but, unfortunately, a few employers have not been cited, and they in their mean-spirited way will have their “ pound of flesh.” One of the advantage® gained for the • nien by the Union is that no milk is to be delivered before 5.30 a.m., instead of 4.30 a.m. as formerly. I trust if work el's’ wives find their milk te a trifle later than usual, they will understand that the employees are getting the benefit.

At a meeting of the executive of the Gum Diggers’ Union, Mr R. W. Way, the secretary,, was authorised to write to the Premier regarding the .partial control by the State of the gum' industry, so as to formulate a scheme to drain and,settle the gum swamps: also to place the resolutions passed at the conference of delegates held in Auckland last April before the Government. Those resolutions refer to the advisability of the Government resuming large estates now being exploited by speculators, and settling them in conjunction with digging; the securing of protection for those who may take up small residence sites; representation on the councils; and other very-important questions in regard to the industry. A scheme is about to be formulated for the purpose of co-operation in trading. The Union has not been long started, but has been gradually getting stronger. The executive are about to arrange for the inauguration of branches and sub-branches, in the different electorates. Under the new management, it is to be hoped it will be made a success. An exhibit is to be sent by the Union to the Exhibition at Christchurch.

- The Seamen’s Union, Sydney, has received advices from California to the effect that many of the trades in San Francisco are On strike, and thousands of men are walking about the Streets of the wrecked city looking for work. The alleged industrial boom does not exist, and Australian Trade Unionists 5 are warned against being tempted by the fictitious reports of big wages and prosperity.

“Patriotic” American employers are engaging 2500 Chinese coolies for, work on- the Panama Canal, and propose to import Hindoos for ,-work in British Columbia—presumably •. in the tinned salmon factories.

Industrial unions are tisually registered under a set of rules approved of by the Registrar of Industrial Unions, and these rules suit almost dny union, providing merely for the government of the union, but the new Bricklayers’ Union, though the youngest of the Auckland unions, is nothing if not ambitious, and intends to apply for registration under a complete set of rules, providing not only for the government of the union, but also for wages, hours -of labour and other working conditions. The reply of the registrar will he awaited with much interest, as’such matters as thee© are usually relegated to the tender mercies of the Court of Arbitration, unices agreed on. by employers and employed. i

Owing to pressure of business, Mr A. Rosser has resigned his position of secretary of the Auckland Certificated Engine Drivers’ Union, and a successor has been appointed. This union was formed by Mr Rosser in 1801, and during the five years of its existence h© has carried out the onerous duties of secretary. It came into existence at a time when the conditions of engine drivers were bad in the extreme, and it has been the means of much useful work.

A question of considerable interest to employers and workers alike was dealt with at Gisborne by Mr Barton, S.M., recently, in the shape of an application to fix the wages to be. paid to a man who was unable to earn the minimum wage prescribed by the Carpenters’ award. A local firm of jbuildera informed the Magistrate that having see* some of the workman's handicraft they were willing to employ him-as 7s per day, as they were sure he would be useful to them at the trade. It was shown that the man had no trade experience, and the Magistrate refused to I issue,* permit to an amateur carpenter.

State Socialism is such a success in. New South Wales that the Government is going to expend another £IO,OOO in building additional workshops for locor motive repairs at Eveleigh.

The Newfoundland Government is putting a poll tax of £6O on Chinamen in order to prevent their wholesale importation for mining work. British Columbia is imposing a £IOO poll tax and the employers -are howling for a reduction in order to keep up a full supply of cheap labour.

Victoria spends £1,000,000 annually on charity, there being .225 charitable organisations in that State.