THE INDUSTRIAL WORLD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19240, 2 August 1924, Page 22

THE INDUSTRIAL WORLD

NEWS AND NOTES. Br J. T. Paul. LABOUR HOUSING SCHEME.

The foundation stono of the first of the 1000 homes to bo built by the South Australian Labour Government was laid at Colonel Light Gardens, near Mitcham, recently. To dato nearly 2000 applications have been received for tho houses to bo built. Tlie Labour Government intends that the homos shall be allotted to tho

most deserving cases, preference being given to persons having four or more children under 16 years of ago, then to families containing two or three children under 16 years of age. Applicants who possess their own land will ho selected next, and finally married people who have children older than 10 years. CURE FOR UNEMPLOYMENT. I look (says Mr J. M. Keynes in the Nation) for tho ultimate cure of unemployment, and for tho stimulus which shall initiate a cumulative prosperity, to monetary reform —which will remove fear —and to tho diversion of the national savings from relatively barren foreign investment into State-encouraged constructive enterprises at home—which will inspire confidence. That part of our recent unemployment, which is net attributable to an ill-controlled credit cycle, has been largely due to the slump in our constructional industries. By conducting tho national wealth into capital developments at homo, we may restore tho balance of our economy. Let us experiment with boldness on such lines —even though some of tho schemes may turn out to bo failures, which is very likely. THE RIGHT' TO RETAIN UNION MEMBERSHIP. At a recent meeting of tho Melbourne Trades Hall Council the following series of

resolutions was carried :—■ This council affirms tho inalienable right of all workers to membership of the trades union movement. It expresses its emphatic opposition to the practice at present pursued by some employers of insisting upon resignation from the union being made a condition precedent to staff appointments. It affirms its intention of preserving inviolate tho right of all such persons to cmtinued membership of the trades union movement, and its determination to take whatever steps are necessary to frustrate this attempt to undermine the power and influence of the trades unions. That the foregoing bo forwarded to affiliated unions, the Chamber of Manufactures, and the Employers’ Federation, and that tho Industrial Disputes Committee bo instructed to arrange a conference with the Chamber or Manufacturers to protest against the action of employers in insisting upon men resigning from tho union to bo placed upon tho staff. TRADE UNION BOOK-KEEPING. The circular letter from the Minister of

Labour proposing certain alterations in tho method of beeping the accounts and books of tho trade : unions, has created quite a stir in official circles. It is unlikely that the new proposals will be gracefully accepted, for in addition to the meeting of protest hold in Dunedin this week tho Auckland meeting of union secretaries has passed the following resolution: — “That in the opinion of this meeting section 3 of ‘ line Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act Amendment Act, 3922,’ already provides for tho keeping of union accounts in an efficient and simple manner, and thc_ suggestions contained in tho communications from the Minister can only he regarded as irritating, vexatious, and uncalled for. - ’ “That each union be asked to adopt the foregoing resolution, or, one in similar forms, and forward copies to the Minister of Labour, and the Leader of the Patliament.irv Labour Party. ’ During the discussion on the motion instances of tho desire of the Government to use tho trades unions’ books for purposes foreign to the objects of the Arbitration Act wore given One secretary intimated that ho bad been summoned to furnish to the Land and Income Tax Department tho names and addresses of all his members, and it was a reasonable assumption that this information was intended for

tho purpose of prosecuting any workers for not paying the tax on earnings over tho statutory amount exempted. COST OF LIVING INQUIRY. The commission appointed by the Victorian State Government to inquire into tho high cost of living has presenter! its final renort to the Victorian State Governor. Mrs Glencross, a member cf the commission presented a minority report. The ’majority report recommends the establishment of a Board of Trade vested with wide powers to deal with unfair attempts to control nriccs of commodities to

tho detriment of the consumer. Xho report continues that the reason why rents have increased 70 or SO per cent, in recent years is the increased cost of building brought about by increases in wages and building material. 11l ©report recommends the extension of facilities for home builders, the reduction of fares to outer suburbs, and unimproved rating m undeveloped areas. . Mrs Gloncross disagrees with the majority report in several details. She recommends a Fair Rente Commission the extension of savings bank facilities for housing, cheaper tram and tram fares, and thinks that prison labour might

be more profitably used. AVERAGE EARNINGS OF AMERICAN WORKERS. Wage earners in the industrial establishments of the country received an aver~,re of £5 I ls 8d a week during March, according to the report of the United Staics Bureau of Labour Statistics. With ful employment throughout the 5c weeks ol the year this would , nation amounting to £270. this is P pro.ximatoly £2OO short of the so-called health and decency standard. Compared with a year ago, these wages show an increase of 2.4 per cent., a negligible gain in purchasing power m the course of 12 months with the present

wage tendency tending downward. ragnt. industries, employing 1,200,000 workers, or more than one-eighth of tno total factory workers of the country, are paying lower -, a ,r ( .s than a year ago, with a consequent lowering of the standard of living they maintained in March, 1923. Those include both men’s and women’s clothing, shirts and collars, cotton manufacture, boots and shoes and the manufacture of automobile ty r <,3. The decrease in purchasing power varies from 2 per cent, in the shirt and collar industry to 81 per cent, m mens Average earnings in typical industries

during March were reported as follows: Meat packing, £5 Is 6d; baking, £5 bs sd; cotton manufacture, £3 11s Id; s clothjug £5 3s 4d ; iron and steel, £5 9s 6d; foundries and steel shops £5 ls7d; sawmills, £4 7s; boots and shoes, £4 13s 9d; printing, £7 9s 9d; automobile. £7; railway car building and repair, £6 Os lOd; electrical equipment, £5 ISs. INDUSTRIAL PEACE. Mr G. N. Barnes, in the World To-day, asks how wo can get industrial peace. Ho believes that peace depends on the spirit in which the changing circumstances of the times are met by employers and employed,

and on the degree to which both will have regard to community interests. Our industrial system is not ideal, but no systo mean bo dical until there is an ideal human nature. It is to the emergence -of the right spirit rather than to more mechanical change that he looks for relief from industrial troubles. “What is needed above everything is that employers and employed should take large views based on citizenship. It is true that they have interests which conflict, but they have also interests which harmonise. The hope of industry lies in building on the hitter. There must, be a willingness to servo all. There is no hope in a mere scramble for wages and profits on the part of two groups

in industry without due regard to the interests of the third—the community which includes both. In the first place, the great, need is for co-operation of employers and employed. And, fortunately, organisation now gives opportunity lo r it, ami enables each side to curb the worst and bring out the best in its ranks. , Wo should carry consultation a stage further than mere adjust mont of disputes. 1 There should be, in regular industries, joint councils to prevent disputes developing and to discuss anything of mutual interest. This would bring in its train a corporate pride in industries and a desiro lo relieve the community of anxiety regarding them. Peace depends upon a peace mentality, but may bo hastened by co-operation on a human basis. Workers must be regarded as partners as well as servitors in industry, and employers must bo given fair play us men charged, in the present _ stage _of society, with onerous and responsible duties. In proportion as these things are done the wasps who live for and by industrial conflict will lose their power lor mischief.

THE APOTHEOSIS OF THE GASITTTKR. The latest award to liand, affecting the dominions plumbers and gasfitters, is the result, of an application for a dominion award for that industry, made by the New Zealand Federated Plumbers and Gaslitters’ Association of Workers, and applies to the Wellington, Canterbury. Otago, and Southland districts. It will thus bo scon (remarks “Industrial Trarnn” in the Auckland Star) that the Auckland district is not included in what might otherwise bo properly termed a dominion award. The Auckland Plumbers’ Union did not parlicpate in the application, as, owing to the brisker state of trade in the north, they were getting above the minimum wage, and there was nothing to be gained in asking for a new award for the time being. There are several interesting points m the now award which are calculated to arrest tho attention of tho careful observer. Clause 2 provides for: “The minimum wage for a plumber or gnslitter shall he 2s 2d per hour.” Clause 18 provides for tho exemption of all gas companies, city, borough, or town councils, so tar as their operations in connection with the supply of gas is concerned, but special provisions shall apply to them. Ono subsection states: “The wages of all journeymen gatfitters in tho employment of any of the said companies or councils shall bo 2s 2d per hour.” This means that the gasfitt.tcr is to receive a jienny an hour more than a registered plumber under tho same award. The gasfitler has come into his kingdom! The next subsection also provides for tho working hours of these gash tiers: They may be employed for 44 hours without payment of overtime, provided that they shall not be employed for more than eight hours and a-half in any one day, or four hours and a-half on Saturday.” I confess (adds “Tramp”) that this pronouncement 1 am unable to grasp. Five days at 8* hours each, and one day at hours amounts to a week >of 46J hours per week, anil not the 44 nours mentioned as a week’s work. Dose the court mean 47 hours and not 44?

EMPLOYMENT OF EX-SERVICEMEN. At the annual conference of the British Legion, which was held in London in June, a large number of resolutions relating to unemployment and kindred matters were sent forward from branches for tho consideration of the conference. One suggestion made was that in view of the shortage of skilled labour in many sections of skilled trades, and tho urgent necessity for providing employment for ex-service-men, the present was a favourable time to confer with the trade unions concerned with a view to training a further number of ex-servicemen in these trades under suitable guarantees. The King’s National Roll, which provided for the voluntary absorption of disabled ex-servicemen by private firms in a proportionate number to tho hands employed by them, has apparently not fulfilled expectations, as quite a_ number of branches forwarded remits stating that tho

only permanent and satisfactory solution of the economic and industrial future of the disabled man was to bo found in the provision of legislation to place upon industry in this country a measure of compulsion for the employment of a fair percentage of disabled men. Another proposal was that a temporary law he passed making it illegal whilst unemployment is so rampant to employ men and women with amnio means, while yet another requested tho Government to make a further scrutiny of nil Government departments throughout tho country with a view to the dismissal of married women whoso husbands arc in employment; and single men and single women with ample means of a livelihood; such positions to bo filled by ex-servicemen. The conference was also asked to demand that no ox-service man temporarily employed in a Government department should ho dismissed whilst non-service men

and women wore employed, and also that permanent establishment bo given to all ex-service men employed in Government departments who have given over two years’ Government service without the necessity of sitting for an examination. Various other proposals that unemployed-cx-servico men be given first opportunity of employment at polling stations, that various public works, particularly the reclamation of Wash and the Humber, bo undertaken to relievo unemployment, and that ox-service trainees should, in general, bo given an opportunity of executing Government contracts. It is worthy of nolo that in Australia, Germany, Italy, and Poland, laws have already been passed whereby all undertakings employing 20 workers or more, above tho ago of 18. are compelled to lake a quota of disabled ex-service men. In Franco a compulsory Act to this effect has already passed through the Chamber of Deputies; whilst Czecho-Slovakia is waiting for an improvement in the economic situation before introducing such legislation. JOTTINGS. The membership of Russian trade unions increased from 4.564,000 in October, 1922, to

5,641,000 in October, 1925—a Rain of. 21.9 per cent.: 5,200,000 of the workers are insured against unemployment. Nothing is taken from the workers’ pay for unemployment insurance, the employers alone—Government, private, or co-operative—paying the contributions. The total sum paid for insurance during the year was 52,000,000 gold roubles. Of this sum 28,000,000 gold roubles was paid by the Soviet State. All persons working for wages in Russia who have worked for at least five and a-lialf months consecutively in the same situation are entitled to a holiday of at least two weeks; young persons under 18 can claim one month. Persons employed in trades injurious to health or in dangerous trades are entitled to an additional holiday of at least two weeks. In the case of seasonal workers, a 6 per cent, increase in wages (12 per cent, in trades injurious to health) has to bo granted in lion of holiday. Applications for employment at the Auckland office of the Labour Department last week numbered 201, an increase of seven on the nrovtons week’s figures. Those classed as* fit for heavy work numbered 164. As usual, labourers headed the list with 71 applicants, with cooks and hotel workers 18, motor drivers and mechanics 17, and seamen and firemen 14, next in point of numbers. During the week 26 men, including 16 labourers and six farm hands, were placed in private employment.