COST OF STRIKES

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1629, 20 May 1903, Page 27

COST OF STRIKES

Although the strike of Victorian railway employees is happily over, trade convulsions are prevalent in other parts of the world. On the Clyde, eight thousand engineers are on strike; m New York over a hundred thousand building employees are idle curing to a trade dispute; and in Montreal aiid V alparaiso strikes of some magnitude are in progress. It is noticeable that these violent dislocations of trade are most prevalent in countries where the individualistic idea is most strongly rooted. In New Zealand, with her enlightened State Socialism, tempered by that broad conception of liberty which is based upon respect for the law, strikes have been practically abolished, whereas England and America, with their strong individualism. are the “frightful examples” of industrial war and waste. In England, from 1890 to 1895. strikes and lock-outs averaged 878 a year and the hands involved numbered 392,000. In 1897 there were 864 strikes, affecting 230,300 operatives, and involving a loss of labour amounting to 10,000,000 days—being an average of 43 days for each person on strike. Tho great dispute in the British engineering trades in 18971893 directly affected 47.500 men for an average of 144 days each, thus causing a less of some 6,850,000 days’ labour. Some idea of the dislocation of industry and distress indirectly caused by this memorable strike may be gained from tho fact that the percentage of unemployed members in tiade unions of the ship-building group rose from 4.4 per cent, in July to 14.1 per cent, in December, 1897. In the matter of strikes, as in many other big things, America can easily claim the world’s record. In fourteen years, ending 1894, there were in the United States 14,390 strikes, involving 3,714,000 operatives, and causing a loss ©f £59,300,000 sterling. In 44 per cent, of strikes the operatives succeeded, at a loss of £39,500,000; the masters’ loss was £19,SOO,OOO. The loss to each workman on strike averaged £lO ss; each strike cost £I4OO to masters. For seven and a half years—from January 1, 1887 to the end of June, 1894 —the four cities of New \ r ork, Chicago, Pittsburg and Philadelphia had an annual average of 104,000 workers on strike, and +he yearly loss amounted to £1,840,000. The coalminers’ strike of 1897 involved about 157,000 men. The New England cotton strike of the following year affected 125,000 operatives. One hundred and twelve thousand men laid down their tools three years ago when the anthracite coal miners went out on strike in Pennsylvania ; and last year’s great coal war in the United States threw over 300,000 men out of employment and created keen distress and embarrassment in every part of the union. In view of the great loss and suffering entailed by strikes, it is not to be wondered at that social reformers in England and America are clamouring for an amendment of the law that will have the effect of substituting conciliation and arbitration for the old brutal methods of tho strike and lock-out. Once employers and employees realise that all the good results of industrial warfare can be obtained by peaceful methods, without any of the evil effects, they will surely unite in demanding legislative action on New Zealand lines, that will ensure an era of industrial peace and steady progress.