MEN MEET AGAIN

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8559, 23 October 1913, Page 9

MEN MEET AGAIN

"YOU ABE OUT ON STRIKE." ULTIMATUM ISSUED TO THE EMPLOYEES. Fully 1400 membors attended this meeting, which was open to the press. "You will all understand why the press is admitted," remarked Mr F. Curtica, who occupied the chair. "It is to let the public of Wellington know chat the Waterside Workers' Union has nothing to hide." (Hear, hear.) The chairman went on to explain that that morning a "stop-work" mooting was held, and at its conclusion tho men who attended found that certain members of the union had been turned out of their jobs. A different foreman came into the shed to put on labour, and other men were engaged. The executive got together and held a meeting, and later went as a deputation to Mr Kennedy, who distinctly told them that as chairman of the local committee he had nothing to do with the dispute, as it had gone right out of their hands into those of tho local shipowners. Ho also informed them that the companies were holding an important meeting later in the day. When asked if the men would bo reinstated in the jobs, Mr Kennedy replied that he was only one man on the committee and he could not any whether this would be done until the shipowners met. Ho was in favour of the men then engaged continuing thenwork till 3.30 p.m., when the shipowners' meeting would be held, but the meeting decided otherwise. OUT ON STRIKE! "What fa the position now?" asked the chairman. "You are out on strike. Every man who refuses go back to work creates a strike and nothing else but a strike. (Applause.) There are about 1400 men in the room, and by rolling up here you have gone out on strike. Don't think that I am saying anything against a strike; but by your coming here this afternoon your agreement is broken from 'A to ' Z -' " , IXX » A voice: "The sooner the better. The chairman: "What are you goniE to do?" . ■ A :voice: ""Fight it out." (Applause.) „■■,"■ The chairman: "That Is all I want to know. To-morrow, or perhaps before 3 o'clock this afternoon, tho foremen of the shipping companies will com© into this hall to engage labour, and even if you agree not to accept work on these boats, treat them with resnect. (Hear, hoar.) If yoU are not going to take employment, don't line up to him.' If you won't work, the strike ib on, but if you don't want a strike then it is not on." Voices: "The strike is on." The chairman also explained that the deputation told Mr Kennedy that if the men were reinstated there would bo no more trouble, but he replied he could not do this himself. APPEAL FOR SOLIDARITY. Mr Soaley said that tne men engaged to fill tho places of the men who left the Rimutaka to attend tho meeting had not taken the work unless the matter was put on a proper basis. Iho same attitude had been taken up by the men with regard to the Wairuna A member: "Are you a member of tho executive?" Mr Sealey: "No, hut I was a member of the excutive for seven years, and it is not my fault that I am not on it still." He said that he also went to tho Wahine and told the men coaling the boat that all work had ceased on the waterfront, and asked them if they would stand by their comrades if the employers did not agree to reinstate them. They decided that they wo'.dd. He heard one of the Harbour Board's officials say that this vas worse than Siberia, but the way ho men wore treated could not he .vorse than Siberia. He hoped thar there would be no ships manned hers-'o-morrow if the men wore taot !re instated unconditionally on tho War •una, Rimutaka, and Wahine. Hedid jot want to be the cause of the strike. u:t ho knew perfectly well that their 'loeision would be conveyed to the em jioyers and they would shake in their -hoes. He moved : That no work be accented until tho men that wore working on the Wairuna. Wahine, and Rimutaka be reinstated.

Loud applause followed, the motion being seconded in numerous places. MUST WIN THE FIGHT. Mr Bruco, assistant secretary to the Waterside Workers' Onion, said that he was on the deputation that waited on Mr Kennedy, and personally he thought there might be a good chance of settling the difficulty at the conference in the afternoon. The executive decided to call this meeting, for the executive had no power to call a strike. Maybe they were then on strike, for it looked very like it. If things did not go right afterwards there would be "squealers" on the wharf, and, therefore, he was in favour of ©very man expressing his opinion, so that it could not be said afterwards that anyone was prevented from giving his views. The position was very sorious, and how thoy were going to get out of it—or, rather, win it—it was for the members to consider. He was not in favour of strikes, but he was not an arbitrationist. He thought that there was a Letter way than strikes. If they had got to come out, they had to win the fight. If the shipowners said, after their conference, that the trouble was on, then they were right into it. There was a rule that a ballot should be taken on the matter. " Mr Bruce has put the matter in a very wrong light, inasmuch as we are unanimous.in the action wo have taken," declared Mr Tolley. Voices: "Yes." Mr Tolley went on to say that if this was so, then how was it that the executive "turned them down"? There were hundreds who had got families, but they would show them they were just the men who could win. If they had a fighting spirit this was the time to show it. "Do they show fighting spirit on the other side?" ho asked. No, they lay dormant, and if the unionists sank, he thought they were

fools. There was a Dig prmuiij.u, «.«« •they had to stick to it. A 3 the president said: "We are out on strike. Voices: "Yes." Mr J. Laurenson said the executive officers had never turned the men down. They had nothing to do with, the "stop" meeting, shipowners, j the previoMs day had given them to I understand they would take the men on, but now they refused. IA SERIOUS PROPOSITION. Mr A. Lindsay said that the propo sition was a very serious one. The very fact that tho men knocked off that morning constituted a strike, but they might just as well be hung for a sheep a* for a lamb. (Hear, hear.) The employers did not caro a "connnontal" for the men, and the onlj :hihg was for them to try and win this strike. They should get in and strike right away. Directly the men were re instated, the members* of the union vould go back to work. (Hear, hear.) Mr J. O'Neill said ho believed the shipowners had been getting ready to try and forco the men out. 4 They had i harbour full of coal, and in consejuenco they were going to fight. 'Well," he said, "let the union fight as well." FIGHTING FOR PRINCIPLE. "We are fighting for a principle, and my principle is that if you make ani agreement you must stick to it." i This was the remark of Mr P. Maroley. He pointed out that the men had broken the agreement that morning, and if they wanted to g° back he was with them. Tho motion was then put and c&t., lied "without a dissenting voice," in the words of the chairman. The meeting was then declared closed. Subsequently some member's tried to reopen the meeting in order to get further motions passed, but they were •u!ed out of order.