In Commemoration of the Waterside Workers' Waterloo.

NZ Truth, Issue 444, 20 December 1913, Page 2

In Commemoration of the Waterside Workers' Waterloo.

to JI.P. .Okey'B query as to Teddy's utterances ot a strike meeting about tho special constables, it says:— Mr, Wilkinson epoko most indignantly about tho aspersions cast on tho splendid men who, with much self-ttvcrificc, had como ' to* Wellington to preserve law and order. . . . There was q. sympathetic thrill through the House as tho member for F.gmont "alluded to tho insults levied (sic) on tho men. Fancy 'Charlie sending a thrill through anybody ! '• Insults levied" is iUß*ilncUy Rood l Charlie "levied," it on himself.

"Truth's" Dunodln rop.: Affairs In tho atrikotllne are particularly ttune. which Is about saying tho samo thing for business all round, and <?v?n for nwful matters at the odoriferous PolJce Court. NevertheloßS. the strike goes unmerrlly. but smoothly, onwards, despite the big array of freo labor at the waterfront. The John Department is having a clover time of it—lt'ft just a matter of keeping the under "standing" stiff, and a partial somnolence Bufllces to uphold law and order, and In retaining tho mighty imposition of the uniform. The- seamen locally are continually moetlng In conclave, and doing privnio iwonflers, but so far they seem to retain tho "important Information" which Is perpeaually occupying their valuable time. Nothing tfeems to coroe ol their numerous and very private gaihi erings.

A Vic ton woman write*: In the rtrst plac* the Picton waterside™ went out on atrike to sympathise with those m Wellington, but after being on strike for awhile they bosan te cry out about nov getting work. At ltt*t a meetin?. wan called and a eccret ballot favored pulling away from the Federation V>f liiUjor, ana registering umter the Arbttrution Act. Th« jnrt was then declared open tind work v,*us vory brink Cor awhile. Uut several of the mcv

» clerks on the wharves. There are tho "outside tally clerks" who use the room and lockers, and THERE ARE THIS OTHERS. Asked jf theso others could not at least m?e the room our Informant said "Oh, yes! Theoretically every tally clerk has tho right to the use of the room. But It's thla way: "The twenty-live who have key* to tho lockers have each ft key 10 tha room, and as each one locks the door us ho conies -out. the 'outlundcrs' uttc got a mlßhty poor chance or v look m." Ho went on to assure "Truth" that he, himself, being » tally clerk, had on more than one occasion ventured into the room when he found the door open, and that, he was soon made tt ware that, his presunco was objectionable to the other*. Thus it is that 'oven on wet days tno surplus clerks havo to stand about tn the rain waiting' for a ch.'inco job. So far a« "Truth's" rep. could poo those twenty-five lockers occupy about tone-third of the room upase. Hu was i told that they art- used by the tvventySfivc members of the "elite" i\s resting i places for their overcoats and clips, and incidentally their noaebug*. There arc those who bukkcsi that they aro. often used us a routing place for other things, but that Is neither here nor there. But what Is both hero and j there, Im. that U»cr« are clos« upon • fifty casual tally elcrka plying for labor on the wharves moro than tho Board has made provision for. This mutter ought to have the j ATTENTION OP THE BOARD S immediately. If ull hona flda tuliy elerus arc entitled to m*t the room, the room ought to be k<ft open during e<-r---uln working hours of tin? day. "Truth" doc* not surest that the present clerk* should jrivo up th«*lr key*, but if the room is kept locked, all tho other tally <jlerk« emitted to vhp tho room Dhoukl be n\#o (tuinitu.nl with keys, "Truth"' docs not tuigjgcJU thai ih© loeftors shoohl be iiUo!l9)i<'iS but tx« tho room i« too »mnll for vtu> number of mtn entitled to use it, cn*t tho

Board can't see its way to enlarge it, the removal of the lockers migbt provide sufficient Jloor space m the meantime. This may cause a little inconvenience to the present "locker", clerks, but such inconvenience should be no more than the inconvenience with which their less fortunate follows | hayo had to put up .with all along. I Ultimately, if the inconvenience was j genuine, it would lead to larger, premises and "lockers for all" being obtained — and quite right, too. Such an arrangement would put the tally clerks all on the same footing and would do away with the monopoly at present enjoyed by the few who have the sole privilege of the use of the waiting room. "Truth" would like to know what would happen if the permanent casuals among the waterside workers were to have keys of the donkey-room and practically lock out all and sundry bar their own little COTERIE OF SELECT PERSONS. Another thing "Truth's" rep. was asked to make a note on. Four out of the twenty- five using the vcem are employers of the clerics, and fcave no right to be m the room ut all! The compauies which employ them all have .offices- on' the' waterfront, and they could and should have lockers m these.. It was hinted that the said lockers would-be, very seldom used if they had them there. Why? Further, it is alleged that these four men have j the use of this room and four lockers ! on condition that they employ no one j outside the "room" clei'ks whilst one of the latter is disengaged. It is said that during i he past winter these j^entlemen, with the aid of three leading-: clerks m other companies, put their heads together, and formed what they j called "the syndicate," virtually employing no one but themselves whether m the room or out of It. The manner m- which the ships reach this port during last winter just played into the hands of these two-potxny-fcalf-penny "monopolists." Tho financial results were an average of about £5 per week to the "syndicalists," and 'jib the flftyodd "dutsiaers"an averago of fifteen 'Shiiiihgs a week/, with the exception, perhaps, of those; clerks who -identify • themsplyss jvfth; (the U;S.s. Co.* * • ?■'■■•■ ■-■ '-y : '- '■■ ■'-^■y'lyyiy /.Considering these things it is hot to be wondered at that tho outer "outside tally clerks" have felt constrained, to form n. Union, with a vtow of improving- their status and hjvviug somo of the grievances abovo referred ;to remedied. Two meetings havo been held. At the first meeting officers pro tern were elected and at, the second a committee whose duty it was to report at next meeting how best to proceed. to have the union registered, lt-now- appears that THROUGH THE TREACHERY OF . ONE wh</ was present, anil who, it Is said, accepted 'nonif. tuition as an official of the .union and was «luly elected, tho bosses have- got to kiBW everything that "took 1 place at these meetings and the names of ail who took part m tho Bame. "Truth" is assured that one of the immediate consequences of this is that the employers have turned down all .who wer,e present a Ctlio said {wo meetings, with I the exception of Judas and his understudy. Thesb persons, "Truth" is informed, havo been receiving preference of employment sinco their act of treachery, and arc therefore making what is called "good" money. It will be seen from the foregoing that despite the assertions of the employers and their paid pen-pushers In the pivss, Plute has no love for any form ot Trades Unionism. Tho Shipping Association und Ha allies have trumpeted abroad that they have no objection to "sane" trades unionism, by which they say they mean a union registered under the Arbitration Aot, yet tho outside tally clerks nre informed that they will strenuously object to their forming v union at all, and thnt they will not employ nnyono who belongs to it or Js going Io belong to It. It is said that ono clerk who romoastniled with the uncrowned king of the wharf because of unfair treatment was told that ho vvna black-listed for refusing to work scab cargo. His tormentor went further anil declurcd ho would ace the responsible hoadn ot other companies and get thorn atfo to put an embargo upon him. "Don't you think it'a pretty rotten?" asked '"Truth's" Informant, as lie turned to leave. "And what do you think of the man who allowed himself to be elected to an important position m the proposed union and ihttn gave tho show away to the boss?" "Truth's" rep. said ho must refrain from giving expression to his thoughts m h public place with so many sjieahells about. It luis since boon reported In tho dally press that a Tally Clerks" Union lias boon formed.