UNEXPECTED MOVE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 8054, 7 March 1912, Page 5

UNEXPECTED MOVE

NEW UNION REGISTERED INTERESTING DEVELOPMENT IN AUCKLAND DISPUTE. MUNICIPAL WORKERS COMBINE. SPECIAL TO TUB "TIMES." AUCKLAND. March C. The Federation of Labour ‘ encinjj any undue haolo m toiniu„ ro grips with the local bodies m . Vdeadlock over ‘ >o «eneral a conflict, while (An re nurd it as an evidence ot me tact of 3W) or 400 day labourers goms on as saeavgurf» st juato result. i'EDERATION’S STRONG CARD.

It is beginning to be recognised that tho Tramway Union is th© strongest card that tho federation can. piny, and the public isawuiting with interest and some anxiety to know what tho decision or the tramway employees will be in the event of a general strike being declared. A report has been circulated that although the tramway employees realise that they must cease work if called upon to do so, it would go much against the grain for them to strike. Ihis statement nus absolutely scouted by a prominent member of tho Iramways ) Union this morning, who informed a “•Star" reporter that ©very man in the union would cease work to-morrow if the federation asked them to do so. A meeting of tho Tramways Union to consider tho position will bo held on lnday. SYMPATHY OF FARMERS.

The report that an organiser had visited the King Country and enlisted the services of 301) farmers in the interests of the employers ia the event of ft striae has been denied by -Ur A. Schmitt, provincial secretary of the larmere Union. At the same time Mr Schmitt admitted that it was not impossible that tho farmers would take action it they found it necessary to do so in order to protect their own interests. lam sorry that tho name of tho Farmers Union has been brought into this matter," declared Mr Schmitt, and it ■would only he os a lust resort if they found" that their own interests were to be prejudiced—that the farmers would interfere.” SET-OFF TO THE FEDERATION. This morning there .was registered at tho office of the Registrar of the Arbitration Court a new union, to be known ns "The Auckland and Suburban Local Bodies’ Labourers' Union of Workers. The union is ISO strong, and its creation will come as a set-off to the Federation of Labour at the present time, since tho establishment of the new organisation has been carried out with the utmost secrecy. „ ■, Tho Mayor of Auckland (Mr C. J. Parr) informed a reporter that the desire for a separate institution had come mainly from men who b€cn for many years engaged in municipal work, and who felt that they should not be in a position to be called out on strike and to leave the city services at any moment without a chance of first going to the Conciliation Council or Arbitration Court. Nearly all the members of tho new union were men who did not belong to the General Labourers’ Union, and considered that they would be doing better for themselves by a regular process of arbitration than by being associated with the Federation of Labour. They preferred to join in with, nearly all tho artisan unionists in Now Zealand. in sticking to the Arbitration Act. The new union started with a membership of ISO strong, and requests had been received from other local bodies employees for permisfeion to come into the organisation. They would have nothing to do with the Federation of Labour, realising, of course, that on the principle of tho general strike —which was tho basis of the federation —they could be called out at any time and leave tho whole of the city services at a standstill. ’On tho occasion of the strike three months ago 200 of the city and Grey Lynn workers remained loyal. They were non-unionists, and were the men who were now forming this new organisation. •A FINGER US’ THE PIE ” FEDERATION’S AIM MEANS DEATH BLOW TO ARBITRATION ACT,

THE MA x yOB INTERVIEWED. PBBBS ASSOCIATION. - AUCKLAND, March, 6. The probabilities of a general strike being called by the Federation of Labour were discussed by a ‘Herald representative with the Mayor (Mr C. J. Parr). The Mayor said that the-matter is entirely in the bands of the Federation of Labour as to whether there shall be a strike or not. The responsibility rests with the federation. “As yon know." said the Mayor, the position of all employers (including local bodies) has been all along that they will be pleased to meet the Labourers' union, before the Conciliation Commissioner or Arbitration Court. If there is a strike it will, in my opinion, bo a most unjustifiable one. Local bodies, and other employers have been all reasonable, and have offered to meet the union any time before the Conciliation Council, but the union declined. Then, the local bodies met their own men—half of whom, by the way, do noti belong to any union—and discussed-matters with them. The result bos been, that the city council baa raised the wages of its workmen, and -the local bodies will probably decide on similar, i£ not better, increases. ■ "The local bodies have done the right thing," Mr Parr went on. “Why, then, ,is the Federation of Labour mot satisfied? Apparently-the federation, insists on having its finger in the pie. It wishes to force all local bodies to sign agreements with the federation, and to bring the former under its jurisdiction. Members of the federation know, ofcourse, that if they succeed in this manoeuvre it will he the deathblow to the Arbitration Act in this Dominion. At present the Act has under it probably three-quarters of the unionists of Auckland, and the local bodies maintain that this is the fairest form of that is entitled to bo * e "Are S the city council, harbour board and other local bodies to make agreements of this nature?” asked the Mayor, wj think the public opinion of Auckland and! the Dominion will be against the local bodies of New Zealand handing over the control of their labour in this way to on outside organisation." Mr Parr added that it must not be forgotten that at least half the general labourers of Auckland did not belong to the Federation-of Labour. If it were true, •s be understood, that a new union of general labourers had applied for registration that day under the Arbitration 'Act, it showed clearly that a large numher of the workmen of Auckland did not want affiliation with the Federation of Labour, "and surely," he concluded, "we owe some duty to them'." ■

STRIKE INOPPORTUNE

LABOURERS NOT YET BEAUT. (PEBS3 ASSOCIATION. AUCKLAND. March 6. The General Labourers’ Union meeting to-iught waal, attended b 7 about 400 ok-500 Mr-- P. "Fraser

(president) occupied the chair, and federation officials were present. The meeting, which occupied about three hours, was not open to the press, but it is understood that matters were referred to the Federation of Labour again, and (lint the general rone of the meeting was against an immediate strike, as the time was inopportunie—the employers were ready aim the men wore not. Tho Auckland Suburban Local Bodies’ Associatibn decided to-night to recommend tho local bodies which its members represent to adopt tho schedule of wages which the city council has decided to pay.