World of Work

NZ Truth, Issue 580, 29 July 1916, Page 8

World of Work

— Ps£fay Points fw Profctariaa Plugs—

BY " 33SEBB&HB&&"

Ijoat week "Honestas" made certain Strong comments concerning the action of Wellington's laundry proprietors and the manner m which! they have been treating tbeir employes of late. The remarks m question have brought to band certain information, backed by strong 'corroborative evidence, which ought to make the Labor ■ Department > get a wriggle on, or the Labor members to demand the reason why m 'the House. With the tremendous rush of military work m Wellington, these clout scrubbing companies have been raking In sheckels by the bucketful of late. In fact, one rag ringing factory b&e all but forsaken seeking to soapgud M*fT Maud's lingerie and pretty-* pretties, with mum's nightie, Dad's pyjamas and other nether garments, to take on scouring soldiers' stuff. There is better money m the latter, or the firm m question would 'not have sacrificed a profitable private clientele to take It on. Yet despite big profits end quick returns, this firm has been mean enough to work its employees on statutory holidays and pay -only ordinary rates of wages. The Union got to hear of the omission and after reporting the breach to the Labor Department secured a pay-Op of double time for all holidays worked. It is reported that the boss of the concern m question, when he found himself forced to shell out'explained to the girls that be had "discovered" that under the Factories Act he had to pay them double time for statutory holidays and he

"rladly" did so, but, it is alleged that Its never hinted that the Union had got en his track and had moved the Labor Department to enforce payment.

• • ' ' • ■■:■ Bince last week's totes were written A further illustration has been given of the laundry owner's objection to em-

ploying members of the Union, and tho reason for each objection. In making his enquiries as to the wages paid In one of the biggest laundries In' Wellington the Union Secretary found one girl was receiving a -wage of 17/- per week, who ought to have been paid 15/- plus 1/3 war bonus, total 26/3. He immediately set to work to get the labor Department to move m the matter. At the same time he asked the Inspector of Awards to note what would happen m the case reported, ahoold the Department enforce payment. Ho did so because he felt certain that several laundry proprietors were trying to, terrorise their, workers by victimising any one found to be m any way associating with the Union. Here la the letter Mr. Read, the Union Secretary, wrote to the Inspector of Awards. "Honestas" deletes the name of the laundry and of the girl worker, ybut both may bo given In a future is- ' place. At the "-■■■■" laundry are two

sisters employed + . The elder sister has been employed .; at this laundry - for a period of over two years, and ought to be m receipt of the minimum wage of 25/---per week and war bonus of 5 per ' cent, making, a total of 26/3 per week; instead of which the firm m question is paying her at the rate of 17/- per week- This amount has been paid to her since the coming into operation of the Award on May. 22. She thus has the sum of 9/3 per week back time owing to her since the date mentioned, and I trust you will see that she Is paid , this amount, and that the proper wage 'is paid to her m future. It would appear desrable to lmpress upon your department to ' note what happens In this case. If , this' girl is treated m like manner to two other cases I have reported, I must ask: you immediately to institute proceedings for breach of the LC. and A. Act, section 60. That letter was sent to the Labor Department on the 13th Inst. And what happened? The Inspector took the necessary action to insure the payment of .the back pay claimed. On the 19th inst, exactly one working week after the above letter had reached the Department, the girl In question was told that with next pay she would re- [ celve 9/3 for every week she had ! worked since, the Award came into force, but that thereafter the firm would have no further use for her services, unless, of course, the Secretary of the Union would procure for her an inefficient worker's permit, so that she might .- be employed at an underrate pay. This last the Secretary has refused to do, but instead, "Honestas" learns he is asking the Labor Department to treat the case as a breach of section 60 of the LC. and A. Act 1908. As the case, therefore. Is sub Judice, 'Honestas" adda no comment but will carefully note developments, and report progress.

The annual report of tho Wellington Waterside Workers' Union is a most cheerful document and shows how wonderfully recuperative our industrial bodies can be when officered by men of the right stamp and the necessary ability. Two years and a half ago a disastrous strike smashed the old militant union and there arose m its rodm and stead a union formed and officered by the men who hod taken the employers' side m the big struggle. For some time after the collapse of the strike these individuals ruled the roost, but by following out a wise and sane policy and far .seeing plan of campaign the loyal unionists m the course of a few months were m control of tho union once again and their old tried, tested, and found true, officers re-elected to their old positions m nearly every case. The first work these men set themselves to do was to perfect and solidify their organisation. This dono they then approached the ship-owners for a new agreement and succeeding m getting from that body, despite the assumed opposition of the emissaries of the Employers* Federation, an agreement, not only far In advance of anything they had ever asked for m pre-etrike days, ! but m advance of anything gained by any other industrial organisation even*! m these times of war bonuses and lfr per cent advances. The Union's Secretary, Mr. J., Q. Bruce, says that a Waterside Workers' Federation has, boon ireorganiscfl, and to»day is a fac--tor to bo reckoned with m tho industrial activities of New Zealand. The decision of !<:..• Union to publish a monthly paper, "The New Zealand Waterslder." put them m possession of a means for educating tho members industrially, voicing required reforms and exposing abuses connected with waterside work. During the year 609 new members had enrolled, 246 coming m on clearance from other, unions, 79 of whom were seamen. The number of accidents on the waterfront had been very high, totalling 287, one resulting fatally. This number Is much m excess of that given la a return to Parliament by the Hon. R. MoNab, and "Honestas" thinks the matter should be enquired into. Government <loportmenta seom to have a bad habit of minimising evils wherever possible. During tho yoar tho band debt of JC426 had been paid oft, thus completing the full payment for the Instruments. Donations to othor unions amounted to £322. AH of which goes to prove that the proper bands are at tho helm of the Waterside Workers' Union and that the organisation is being run on business lines.