AN ANNIVERSARY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXII, Issue 15704, 25 August 1911, Page 4

AN ANNIVERSARY.

THE TAILOiIESSES’ BIRTHDAY

TWENTY-ONE YEARS OF TRADE

UNIONISM

(By the HON J. T. PAUL, M.L.C., President New Zealand .Federated Tailoresscs.)

Woman was first a beast of burden, then a domestic animal, then a slave, " vant. and last of all a mmor.-Professor Thomas (“ Sox and Society ).

In Now Zealand woman is fortunately no longer a minor. Equal with man <U3 a citizen,, sho possesses lights too long denied her in older countries. Public men must now recognise that women form part of the electorate, aad the result is good.

In my last article I was proving the existence of deplorable sweating conditions and describing the environment from which the Christchurch Tai brasses’ and Prossers union sprang. In reading the blackest parts of industrial history it is hard to understand why such iniquities were allowed to exist. Sweating and the inevitable consequences seemed to make the life of many a daughter a certain tragedy. The old Jewish proverb tells us that “ God could not be everywhere, so Ho made mothers.” Apparentlv man was not reckoned with, and mothers were denied the rights of citizenship so that the daughters of the nation might remain tho slaves of tho nation. Fortunately that has been remedied. For the sake of brevity I propose to make certain extracts from tho evidence given by the tailoresses before tho Sweating Commission:

Miss A.Z.: I Rtn a vest liand, working for eight years at piecework. I used to take work homo, and work till 10 o’clock three nights of the week—good steady work, tho same as at tho factory—and that enabled mo to earn 15s per week. Miss 8.A.: The be3t I earned during seven years was 15s a week—taking tho work homo and working till 10 or 11 o’clock at night. I started work at heme at and sometimes at 8, and worked for two or* three hours. Miss B.B.: My averago before tho log was 10s.

Miss B, Ct. : I worked at 's, and the ventilation there was bad. Wo worked in a littlo back room—a Fort of kitchen. Miss B. II.: The system in operation in our drc3smaking-room is to engage apprentices for the first year for nothing. After that they get 4s per week, and in other places not so much. That is the mest thoy got anywhere. When they have been twelve taonths or more at that they ask for a rise, but very frequently they never get it. Surely more than sufficient to justify the formation of a. union. Yet it was an uphill task. For years its future was clouded and. at times it appeared likely to go under in face of the hostility offered by a section of the manufacturers. The difficulties were manysided and appeared stupendous. Auckland, in many instances a big obstacle in the extension of trade unionism in Now Zealand, refused to endorse a uniform log. How serious the position was in September of 1895 is best told by the reproduction of part of a letter from the then secretary (Miss Marguerite M. Scott) to Mr David Pinkerton (of Dunedin): —“On behalf of the Christchurch branch of the New Zealand Tailorpssos’ Federated Union I am instructed to write and lay before you the state of tile working women in the clothing trade ill this colony, particularly in Auckland and Christchurch. In Christchurch we find that a number of workers who for Eome years back have been almost constantly employed can now earn scarcely enough to keep them alive—all owing to the _ terrible amount of sweating which is in existence in Auckland; and I am to state that it is the earnest desire of the members of our ynioii to do nil in their power to have the matter righted, Now this matter has been debated 1 bvour committee, and it is considered that the only tiling to be done is to ecn.d some trustworthy and influential person to Auckland to try and elevate the very depressed state of the workers there, for we find that nothing hut the universal log will do. This being so, the names of the Hons Yv. M. Bolt and W. T. Jennings, together with that of yourself, have been submitted to our committee as those of persons considered capable of carrying oil this very important undertaking.” _ A series of attempts were mado to bring Auckland into line, but these were unsuccessful until 1909. I was then entrusted with the mission, and cheered by the proffered information that everybody else had failed to persuade the northern tailc-r----esses that their interests were identical with their, southern sisters. Suecess crownocl my efforts ill this respect and in 1910, after twenty years; effort a uniform set of working conditions govern New Zealand tailoresscs. There were other vicissitudes. In 1894 trade was bad, and it was difficult to keep some employers up to the mark. A few strikes occurred in the earlier nineties, and the results were not wholly satisfactory to the Union. As indicative of the .state of the labour market in May of 1894, I find this letter from Pastor William Birch, who was then treasurer of the Christchurch Benevolent Society:—“Dear Miss Scott, —I cannot get to the meeting this evening. Would you please obtain the name and address of any orphan young woman who is now out of work, or any who lives in lodgings. We will undertake for all such and perhaps find them some work to do to make for poor people who arc in need of clothing.” Among many interesting records of the Union’s activities I find the minutes of a meeting held in St John’s Schoolroom on June 2, 1894. The minutes of the meeting and the accompanying letter aro in the handwriting of the late Mr T. E. Taylor, and addressed to Miss Scott. Mr W. W. Tanner, M.H.It., was in the chair, and he read over the rules of the proposed Christchurch Tailoresscs’ Co-operative Society. The minutes proceed : “Mr Russell, M.H.R. eniphaised the need for the workers acting in the true spirit of unionism, and moved-—* That any member of the Union being thrown out of employment through no faul, jf her own, and producing a certificates that effect, shall be entitled, after being one month out of work, to be employed in the factory, always provided that the employees shall not be required to work less than two-thirds time.’ Upon a voto being taken of those who will bo workers in the factory the motion was carried without dissent.” Mr V/. T. Ballinger was elected president, and also acted as treasurer pro tern. The factory was started, and the top flat of a building occupied. It served a good purpose, and.Mr Ballinger was one of the most assiduous helpers in the scheme. In time it was given up. it was a product of the period, and was the means of helping many a deserving worker.

Each year brought new difficulties to the Union. The passing of the Conciliation and Arbitration Act in 1894 was a blessing to it, and many of tho difficulties disappeared when the Union was in a position to insist on recognition and able to enforce its legal agreements. In co-operation with the other unions the Clothing Trades’ Federation was formed, and less trouble was encountered as a consequence. To-day tho Federation is ono of tho strongest organisations in tho dominion, and incalculable good lias boon done for tho working tailoresses, as well a 3 the pressers, who form the organisation. [t is patently impossible to gi vo a detailed history of the organisation in two newspaper articles. Nor would the detailed history lie interesting to a large public. Hut it is of importance that the community should recor»niso how nearly the institution of gweatei'dom was being porinanontiy •

teb.ished, and doubly important that tile tailoress of to-day should understand the “conditions of yesterday and appreciate the advantages gained for' her .by her pioneer sisters in trade unionism. The present generation of workers is too prone to take everything for granted. The conditions ruling to-day aro not those of yesterday, and perhaps a study of the evolution of fair wages would be interesting. Twenty-one years ago 10s was a very common wage for anything approaching sixty hours’, work. To-day • a minimum wage of 25s is secured to each , journey woman for forty-five ! nours’' work. I know many journey- , women who get more. It is good for our country that such is the case. Twenty-one years ago hundreds of girls received no wages at all for the first year of their employment, and compulsory holidays and dismissal at the end of the year. To-day the minimum wages for females engaged in any capacity in a clothing factory are:— First six months, 5s per week; second six months. 7s 6d per week; third six months, 10s per week; fourth six months, 12s 6d per week; fifth six months, 15s per week; sixth six months, 17s 6d per week; seventh six months, AT per week; and eighth six months, £1 2s 6d per week; after which the minimum of £1 5s becomes operative. It took many years of effort to arrive at this point, but the effort was worth while. Perhaps nothing threatens the fuiura good conditions of employment under which women shall work so much as apathetic indifference. The battle for decent industrial conditions for women workers has been a grand one, and the Christchurch Tailoresscs’ and Prossers’ Union has plaved a noble part. The conditions existing to-day may bo varied in the future in many ways. The lessons and the evils of the past may bo forgotten, in which case women workers will suffer badly. They may be simply maintained at their present standard, in which case much suffering will bo obviated. Or they may bo improved, in which ease the nation will bo benefited. Success in trade is a good thing; success in trade and industry at the expense of the vitality and happiness of a nation’s womanhood spells ruin for that nation.

The past shows substantial betterment, and the thanks of the women workers arc due to the pioneers. _ A disconcerting feature of the position to-day is the fact that so many of the growing generation of women workers take the conditions they find as something which has been ordained by an ali-wise Providence, and which cannot be altered. The conditions' have not been won witiiout struggle and without suffering. And they cannot be held except by ceaseless vigilance: The girl in her teens to-day can hardly be expected to know anything or the past. It is hoped that she may learn something from this sketch in outline. Her working conditions are comparatively pleasant and she makes the most of them. How her existing conditions of labour and wages came to be are not inquired into by her. Working conditions may not always be good, but that does not trouble her overmuch. She is in some cases misled into believing that she has no permanent interest in industry. She has her sweetheart, perhaps. She will marry, perchance. Then she will hid good-hve to the factory. But it is always worth while to try to make life easier for others. In the case of women there are additional reasons. Her senses are liner and her capacity for self-sacrifice greater. It is surely not her desire that heY sisters should work under abominable conditions. Then she can do much to maintain present advantages for her sister women, and later, maybe, for her own daughters. ■ I trust the pressers will not think I have ignored their part in the building up of the Union. They have done well, and have rendered valuable assistance to the tailoresses. There are not many veterans left who fought the early struggles of the Union. Mr Cieworth still takes an active interest. o£_the present officers, Mr H. G. Ell, M.P., has the record length of service to Ins credit. A decade ago he came to the assistance of the Union, and filled the presidential chair for a number of years. To-day ho is a. vice-president. It is impossible to apportion praise according to merit, and no more than an outline is attempted here. From chaotic and deplorable conditions the tailoress of to-day lias.been

transplanted into something more pleasant for herself and more profitable to her country. The citizens of Christchurch have reason to be proud of the Tailoresses’ Union. They will join with me in wishing its officers and members many happy returns of the Union’s twenty-first birthday. So long as its members never forget that eternal libertv is the price of vigilance, all will bo well. The only real guarantee of the workers’ advance is the workers’ vigilance. If that should be remembered and the leaders of to-day are as true to humanity ss were the leaders of yesterday, all will be well. The individual woman worker will be happy and independent, and the nation will prosper as it deserves.