INDUSTRIAL WORLD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18541, 29 April 1922, Page 14

INDUSTRIAL WORLD.

By J. T. Paui.

NEWS AND NOTES.

LABOUR IN NEW SOUTH WALES. After two months the final results of the elections have been declared. Ihe composition of the new Parliament is as 1 1 -*!* lows: —Nationalist, 41; Labour, 35: I regressive, 9; Independent, O; Independent Labour, X; Democrat, 1. The progress of the official Labour Pari.v ifi New "Wales Parliament is interesting. It lias ueen and weak by turns, generally because of internal differences within the party. The election story in figures reads thus: — /

A XT! STRIKE LEGISLATION IX AMERICA. • The January issue of the New York Board iof Trade Journal contains the first official pronouncement of Mr Gardner, the secretary of the board, concerning the Bill it proposes to introduce in the State legislature 1o * for the adjustment of industrial disputes. ‘‘One of the main features of the proposed law would enable an employer, his employees, or 10 citizens to, obtain a-n injunction preventing a strike or a- lockout for at least 30 days, pending adjustment of the dispute by methods which are provided in the Bill. . “Restraint by injunction, it is stated, is intended to ‘compel* a brief period of time in w Inch all parties may deliberately consider what they are facing, with all the serious consequences, and have a chance to cool off.’ Continuing, Mr Gardner writes: , ■ , “ ‘The Bill may not appeal to Labour i leaders, because if industrial peace could be made permanent, with all employees and all employers always satisfied and happy, there would lie no such leaders whose activities load mainly to trouble.’ EXIT THE EIGHT-HOUR DAY. The acceptance by the National Lnion of Railwaynien of the award [of life National Wages Board relating to the Scottish railway companies (says a writer in the Labour Leader), is a melancholy illustration of the demoralisation that has come over the Trade Union movement. It is not pleasant to have to write thus, but I believe this view to be the true one. The eight-hour day deserved all the good things which the lenders of the National Union of Railwaynien said of it between the time the companies lodged their demands and the meet ing of the’ Nat ional Board — and the eight-hour day is now gone. No amount of pleading that the principle has been preserved can alter that fact. Men may now in certain instances be rostered for nine hours' continuous duty (one hour ranking as overtime', and in country centres a sproadover of 10 or 12 hours may be worked, and this worsening of conditions is accompanied by a doubling of the rate of reductions under the sliding scale until all the advance of June. 1920 — averaging 4s 6d —has been cut, away. I can, however (the writer continues), sympathise with the position of the N.U.R. delegates who decided to accept (he award. "Their representatives on the Wages Board had already placed them heavily at a disadvantage, for if thev had decided to fight .they would have had to bear the onus of “throwing over the award.’’ It is true that, under the Wages Board machinery, neither side is compelled to accept' an award, and that proviso is obviously meaningless unless it parries 'with it: - the untramomlled right of rejection. It remains a fact, however, that a. union entering upon a strike as a result of refusing to accept an award, and especially an award signed by its own representatives, is considerably' handicapped in more ways than one. ONE BIG UNION. An organisation which promises to become an important force in the industrial life of Australia, and perhaps of New Zealand (says the Wellington Post), is the Australasian Workers’ Union, which, at conference held in Sydney last January, adopted what is known as the One Big Union policy. The X T ow Zealand Workers’ Union, which has a membership of about 15,000. is affiliated with the 0.8. U. The shearers and workers in agricultural and pastoral industries of New Zealand, besides the construction 'Workers in the employ of the Public Works Department, belong to the N.Z.W.U. Although the aims and objects of the Australian Workers’ Uivon are similar to those of the New Zealand Alliance of Labour, the constitution is different. The Alliance of Labour believes in organisation along the lines of industry, and only those workers who are linked together in (heir respective industries by means of do minion federations may enter its ranks, but. any craft union may join the Austrnlt asian Workers’ Union, whether it is pai-t of a federated body or not. The A.W.U. believes in working up to its ideal by degrees,' and augmenting its strength as it goes' along, and does not insist that the whole of an industry shall be organised before taking its place in "»ne of its departments. On handing the 0.8. U. policy to a Postrepresentative to-day, Mr C. Grayndler (New Zealand 'Workers’ Union delegate to the 0.8. U. Conference, held in Sydney last January':, stated that the 0.8. U. was launched without the beating of drums or blowing of trumpets. "There was no necessity for this,” said Mr Grayndler. “but. although it happened nuietly. the move is a tremendous one. Three of the largest and leading unions of Australia, with a joint membership of over two hundred thousand, agreed at that conference to link up. Their present operations are divided into five departments, of which the One Big Union will bo constituted. Many other organisations of Labour are making preparations to enter this vast field where amole provision has been made for their inclusion.” Asked what action the 0.8. U. officails hero in New Zealand intended to link up dominion unions with the Australasian Workers’ Union. Mr Gravudler replied that, while no attempt would bo made to force them, craft unions would, as time went, on. find it, necessary to seek refuge in tlie One Big Union. "The door‘will always be open for them,” Mr Grayndler added. “It only remains for worning-class unions to take up the place procured for them and unitedly take part in the task of liberating the means of life from those who use them for gratification of greed to the woeful injury of the workers. The One Big Union moans to dispose of exploiters by industrial and political action. Capitalism has entered upon what will he the last phase of its existence if unionism is alive to its opportunity.” JOTTINGS. Professor W. T. Goode,-M.A., has been lecturing on international questions at Auckland under the auspices of the New Zealand Labour Party. The title of his last lecture was “Russia, Australasia, Washington, and After.” with special reference to the RussoGerman Treaty. The agreement between the New Zaland Workers’ Union and (he Public Works Department. regarding the wages and con~ dilions of employment of workers in the employ of the department, will expire on June 30. The union has asked the Minister of Public Works to agree to a conference for (he purpose of drawing up a new agreement. Tt. is an extraordinary thing,” said the Hon. J. G. (.bates, Minister of Public Works, in reply to a deputation at Wanganui, "that a third of (ho unemployed in New Zealand come from the Wanganui and Taranaki districts. Last week out of 218 men employed by my department, 45 came from Stratford.” Tlie Minister added that nrivate employers had a responsibility, 'nicy should endeavour wherever possible not to push men out on to the road. Employment in the timber industry in the Auckland district is anything but good, according to a gtatecmnt made b- Mr E Phelan, secretary of the Timber Workers' Union. lie said that at present all the mills were working only five days a week, owing to scarcity of orders, and even then (hey did not employ full staffs. The public were anticipating a. further fall in the price of timber, and therefore would not buy. In his opinion there was nqt going to bo an v great de.cline in the price owing to the difficulty in getting timber from the bush. Thfe hush was getting further back from tlie mills, and the logs had to be hauled a greater distance, which meant additional expense. He thouchl that it would he advisable for the sawmiilers to seriously consider the position and make some pronouncement .so that the public would know exactly where they stand ia regard to price*.

Assembly’s Labonr Year. strength. members. 1891 141 36 1894 125 27 1895 ... . -s. ... 125 18 1898 ... .;. ... 125 19 • 1911 ... .. ... ... 125 24 1904 ... 90 25 1907 ... ... 90 32 1910 ... 90 46 1913 ... 90 49 1917 ... 90 29 1920 ... 90 45 1922 ... ;;; 90 35 '