SHEARERS' UNION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14857, 11 June 1910, Page 11

SHEARERS' UNION.

GENERAL SECRETARY'S ADDRESS.

At the Trades Hall list night Mr M Laraoy, general secretary of the New Zea-

land Shearers and Woolshed Employees' Industrial Association of. Workers, addressed a meeting of members of the association. Thcro were about 35 members present. The chair was taken by Mr J. E. MacManus.

The Chairman said the mesting had been called for the (purpose 1 of ashing the men to oarry a resolution endorsing the action of the Shearers' Union in refusing to work for less than £1 s, hundred.—(Applause.; There was a move on foot at present to federate all the unions, and the employers woro already taking stops to oppose it: Mr Laraoy, who was received with applause, said the membership of the union was increased last year by 2500, and tho union was not half organised yet. Last year he carried out some organisation work' m Otago, but there was further work to be done. He hoped the workers would assist him in the future as they did last season. Tho Labour Department had refused to register the union, as it covered a number of bodies in. different parts of tho Dominion, but that difficulty had been overcome—point after point had* been given away, in order to gain registration,—and the shearers were now registered as a large body. " \Y© are now going to fight tooth and nail to have the points deleted from the rules put back again."—(Applause.) Thcshoon owners were federated throughout New Zealand, and it was decided to approach them and bring about a conference to draw up a scalo of pay for the shed workers. Tho speaker communicated with the secretary of the Shcepownors' Association, but, though ho waited for three weeks for a reply, ho did not get such a courtesy. At the same time the shcenowners were doing all they could against the interests of the union. This cablegram was then sent to Australia:—"Trouble brewing in Maoriland; advise Australian shearers not to make engagements hero without consulting officials of the union."—(Applause.) The men were justified in asking for £1 a hundred. The union was not lighting for any one class of tho shed workers, but for ail of them —shearers and shed hands.—(Applause.) " We are assured," said Mr Laracy, " there will bo an award made this year for the shed hands, and it will be an improvement on the conditions of the past."— (Applause.) Last year lie met boys working for 16s a week, ■ but 30 miles away •there were boys doing the same class of work for- 30s. A boy should not work from half-past 5 in the morning until close on 6 at nigire for six days in tho week for 15s a week. A portion of the press was, as usual, siding with the omployer3. The union would not encourage a strike. Its members took up tho position that they would not make engagements unless they got £1 a hundred, and there .was no law to make them shear. Australian shearers had written to him to say they would not come over to shear under the. price. Tho Lyttelton Times had, pointed out that there w;s plenty of freo labour hero to do tho work But that. wa6 not the question. If tho men did not get £1 a hundrfed they would not. do the work. If there was free labour let it do the .work. x A Voice: The sheepowners did not get it last time.

Mr Laraoy agreed, and asked .the men not to make engagements under £1 a-hun-dred, and to do their best to inducoothers not to bo in a hurry to make engagements except at that rate, "i assure you, you will get it," added the speaker, "and in gotting it you will only get what eight out of ten of tho employers in New Zealand are paying already. It is only tho big employers who have back-country stations as a rule, where shoep .are ha id to shear and where it is ha i-d to get- into the sheds, who are objecting to pay £1 a hundred." With regard to the shed hands,.now thr.t the union had- moved to take cases before tho court it also behoved the men to consider tho position. A meeting of shearers in Christchurch passed a resolution urging shearers irat to make engagements at less than £1 a hundred unless an agreement suitable to the shad hands Was, arrived at. For himself, however, h'e thought the men would be justified in accepting engagements at il a hundred. Mr Justice Sim hid dealt fairly with the men in the wet sheep difficulty, and the judge, he thought, would not go back on that clause. " There are only _ three things we are really anxious to get, ' continued the speaker. "Wo want Eomiothilijr done 'regarding, [dagging; wo want a prioo fixed for. crutching; and wewant £1 a hundred."

A Voice: We also want preference. Mr Laracy: Yes, but the pricc is far more important than preference. Although J. am m favour of preference, I would rather shear with a. unionist at heart than .with five compulsory unionists.—(Applause') In tho time of trdublo they could deneiKl on tho willing unionist, but not on the forced man. Tho late secretary wa's given to understand from tho Labour Department that an amendment would bo made in tho act to allow the union to get an award for the whole of tho Dominion. A petition had been sent to tho Minister of Labour 'asking, for that amondement of the Arbitration Act, and there were 12 or 13 members of the House who were pledged to support it it it came down in the coming session. One award would then cover a! tho pastoral workers. The Musterers Union and_ the farm labourers in Canterbury were willing to cancel the'i* registration if tho Shearers' Union could see its way clear to come out and organiso them. ri» time had come when all country workers should bo organised into one body.—(Applause.) Let them got into a solid union, and it would he all tho better tor all concerned. He hoped the day was not far- distant when all the workers in wow Zealand—not only tho country workers -would be united in a solid bc<ly.-(Ap-ptausc.J' In Australia, as a result of the Labour movement, they, had a Labour Uovernment. Here the scalo always went down m favour of tho big man.' There were not 10 per cent, of the shearers in who made £2 a week, taking their expenses out of their earnings. Were tho. men justified-, then, in accepting £1 a hundrcu for the coming season? I-Ie thought they were, but if u -resolution to that ctfccfc were carried he would ask them to wait until notified before making any engagement. His reason' was this: he would know on the following night in Ohristohurch the opinion of tho executive on the matter, and if they decided- to make engagements at £1 a hundred their first duty was to send a cablegram to Australia !?tni, n ° i men ' inow position; Ihoy have refrained from making engagements, they an Bticking to us, and they should have the same opportunity that we havo of getting into the early sheds."— (Applause.) Ho asked tho workers to 'assist the organisers who would be out in Otago in the coming season in the interests of the federation.

Mr &. Borcham moved—"Thai. an agent °> t-hc Shcavovs and Shod Hands' Association bo appointed in Duncdiir, such agent to bo a member of the association, and that no membpr accept engagement except through him, and on no condition whatever acccpt ongagement through a labour agent."

rho motion was second od and carried. Mr W. H. Rust moved—"That in view of the fact that disputes are being filed on behalf of tho shod hands, and as the court, will undoubtedly m'akc an award for this body of workers, this meeting is of opinion that shearers should now engage stands for the coming season, provided they engage at not less than £1 a hundred."

The motion was seconded. Mr Lacomte moved as an amendment, and Mr Borcham seconded—" That no shearer shall engage a stand until such timo as an award is provided for the rest of tho men in tho shed." After a discussion the amendment was carried. The Chairman proposed a voto of thanks to Mr Laracy foi his address. Tho shearers should bo proud to have such a man as secretary of their organisation.— (Applause.) The motion was carried unanimously. Subsequent to tho meeting Mr Laracy received tho following telegram from MiAbbott, secrotary of tho Wellington Branch of the union:—"Personally cannot agreo to engagement under any circumstances until decided." This means, Mr Laracv explains, that an award must bo given for shed hands beforo shearers acccpt engagement.