AFFAIRS OF LABOUR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15096, 12 September 1912, Page 7

AFFAIRS OF LABOUR.

A UNION AS EMPLOYER.

DISMISSAL OF CLERKS.

PICKETING OF THE UNION'S

OFFICES.

By Telegraph.— Association.— Copyright /

(Received September 11, 8 p.m.)

London, September 10. The Amalgamated Socicty of Rail-, way Servants has dispensed with'! the services'of a number of clerks, ! employed by the society, who threatened to strike because they were not receiving the minimum wage of 35s a week recognised by the National Union of Clerks. The 'discharged clerks are now picketing the society's office to prevent the employment .of blacklegs.

The situation is complicated by a declaration by the National Union of Clerks that the picketers themselves are blacklegs, they having, it is asserted, usurped the positions of qualified clerks.

Tho clerks who have been dismissed by . the Raihvaymen's Society, wore formerly cmployed on the railway, but wore discharged for participating in strikes. They were afterwards engaged by the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants as a clerical staff at 30s a week to deal- with .the extra work occasioned .by the coming into operation of the National Insurance Act. About a fortnight ago they threatened to strike because they had not received , tho'. recognised minimum j wage for clerks. ' v TRADES DISPUTE ACT.

A PROPOSED ' AMENDMENT.

(Received September 11, 8 p.m.)

1 London, September 10.

A Bill 'for the amendment of the Trades Dispute Act : is to be introduced in- the House of Commons by Lord Robert Cecil (Unionist member for the Hitchin division of Hertfordshire).

The Bill restores the liability of: unions in connection with acts committed under its cognisance, but exempts the provident funds from liability. •

New regulations in regard to peaceful picketing are proposed. These allow a limited immunity to persons inducing others to break contracts. '

COTTON SPINNERS' WAGES.

TEN PER CENT. - INCREASE,

(Received September 11, .8 . p.m.) London, September 10. Twenty • thousand spinners in the Lancashire cotton trade, chiefly females, have, obtained a ten per cent, increase in their wages.