THE INDUSTRIAL WORLD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19405, 14 February 1925, Page 18

THE INDUSTRIAL WORLD

NEWS AND NOTES. Bt J. T. Pato. LABOUR AND ORGANISATION. Once more the Alliance of Labour la convening an open conference of'all Labour organisations in the dominion. The ciycular calling the conference is couched in general terms, chief emphasis being places on the necessity for unity. On many occasions extending over a long period the Alliance has acted In the capacity of convener of similar conferences, but the measure of success attending its efforts has not been great. The main obstacle appears to be the lack of faith on the part of unions regarding the future policy of (ho leaders of the Alliance. There has been more than a suspicion that the leaders desire to enrol the smaller unions in a movement (o destroy the Arbitration Act, and until this fear is dissipated there appears to be little prospect of a large addition to the numerical strength of the Alliance. In certain circumstances unions in key industries might be well able to maintain (heir economic position without the assistance of the Arbitration Court, but to ask the ordinary Industrial unions to throw over arbitration Is mere futility. In this column last week the views of the founder of the Act were printed, and their soundness must bo generally recognised. It is fashionable in certain quarters to hold up the dominion as a shocking example. The New Zealand Worker, In pessimistic' vein, puts it this way:—“To say that industrial organisation is in a deplorable condition is to put the position mildly. In whichever way we look there is little unity and much futility.” The Worker thinks there should be one Industrial body to speak for organised Labour, but It overlooks the very important point, that various Labour bodies have diiferent views and ideals, and also differ in the means to be employed to attain them. It is simply impossible to combine everybody In one organisation in the dominion just ns it has been found impossible to do so In every other country. The various schools of thought contain those who think alike, and for that reason they are allied together. And nil things considered the industrial conditions in the dominion will compare favourably with those elsewhere On the authority of ft Sydney Labour paper New Zealand is “the most Toryridden country in the world,” but even from Queensland, which has now had 10 uninterrupted yeara of Labour Government. come murmurs of discontent. Despite all that has been done for the unemployed in that state the unemployed have issued an ultimatum against the Labour Government. At the meeting of the Australian Workers’ Union Delegate Board a strong sot was made against the Labour Prime Minister nnd the Worker newspaper for supporting him. All of which seems to indicate that there is no particular harm In wishing for the millennium, but it nor wise to expect it in a hurry. As a fact it too closely resembles a mirage with its rooted habit of receding if an attempt be made to approach :t. HOURS OP CO-OI’ERATIVE WORKERS. British co-operators havu just completed a study of the maximum hours per week worked by the 100,000 co-cperative employees in the British Isles. They wanted to find how co-operative stores and factories compare with private profit institutions in the treatment of their employees. The rcsulls of the inquiry show that nearly COO per cent, of the clerical employees work 44 hours a week or less; that a large number of co-operative factories have advanced to the 41-hour week; tnd that none of the eo-operativo employees work more' than 4S hours a week. SHINGLING MAKES WORK. The Sydney Hairdressers’ Union reports the industry as flourishing owing to so many women having their hair attended to. Previously the trade was fairly slack, but now it is getting bade to normal. As long as the present women’s fashions prevail it will probably remain so, but in the event of them changing a rapid slump may ho experienced. Must hairdressers are ot opinion, however, that it will be a long time before women go back to the old styles, if they over do. Once having realised the comfort of short hair, it is considered doubtful if they will ever desire to depart from it. FEWER MEN FOR MORE WORK. In ten years the number of railway employees in Canada has been reduced by 13,017, while in the same period the mileage of Canadian railways has been increased by 10,469. Attention is called to this fact by a memorandum to the Dominion Railway Board by the Railways Unions, who are opposing a reduction, in freight rates, asked for by certain manufacturing interests, on the ground that railway workers are overpaid. The memorandum draws the inference from the figures given that the railway workers in Canada, as in the United States, aro giving proportionately greater service than before the war. The Railway Unions further deny that railway wages are unduly high, and assert that on the average they are not sufficient to maintain a fair standard of living. Before he war wages were 63.5 per cent, of operating expenses. In 1923 wages formed only 60 per cent, of operating costs. TRADE UNION MOVEMENT. After long preliminary work, which was very difficult owing to the lack of co-opera-tion between the various unions, a National Federation of Trade Unions has been founded in China. The new federation comprises 76 organisations, with a total membership of nearly 200,000. The speeches at the opening ceremonies show that the federation has a Socialist basis, its chief tasks being declared to be the fight against Capitalism, against tho militarists of Northern China, and against the foreign imperialistic Powers. Tho meeting declared strongly in favour of Sun Yat Sen, who is very popular in Labour circles, and a champion of the above programme. It mav he assumed that the defeat of Wu-Pei-Fu in Northern China will make its influence felt in Southern China. When the fight between the military dynasties is over, the class conflict will begin. ENGINEERS’ RATES. One shilling a week increase in wages come to members of the Australian Society of Engineers, from February 1, on the latest index figures, on tho standard of living issued from tho Commonwealth Statistician Office, showing a slight increase. This will bring the wages of a tradesman in this society up to £5 9s 6d, the basic rate being £4 3s 6d. The Newcastle index figures remain the same as last quarter, but Lithgow, where the union has many members working under tho Small Arms Factory award, shows an increase approximately to a shilling. Increases and decreases are, Mr Bryant, secretary of the A.S.E., explains, only made in this district, however, when the amount comes to at least two shillings. Therefore, no variation will be made in the Small Arms Factory. Adelaide is the only other place where any variatibn will be made, the amount hero being also a shilling. The other States remain stable. WHITE ANTING. Mr Hanlon, editor of tho Brisbane Worker, defending the policy of hia paper against the attacks in tho A.W.U. delegate meeting at Brisbane last week, carried tho war right into the enemy camp, and 1 lashed the Communist clisruptionists, whom he had showed to be playing their tricks on tie A.W.U. Early in the year, said Mr Hanlon, his attention was drawn to the official report of the third annual conference of the Gommunist party of Australia, The party decided to organise its trade union members into groups to work under tho direction of tho Communist party, to increase the party in the unions, to bring all trades union work under tho direction of the R.T.U.I. in Australia, and with this end in view, to concentrate on tho A.W.U., the seamen, and the miners. Tho report further said that the methods by which tho members of tho Communist party would achieve this objective would bo to criticise all trado union officials and attempt to secure tho leadership in every union, recognising that leadership of the trades union movement meant the leadership of tho working-class movement as a whole. Knowing that, and with tho knowledge it was decided to launch an attack on the A.W.U., it was hia duty to do all that he possibly could to withstand it, notwithstanding that perhaps tho policy of tho Communist and Labour parties were identical on some particulars. The branch president (Mr Riordon) affirmed that they should feel grateful that they had die Worker to counter the attack on tho A.W.U. No complaints should be made on account of the paper’s handling of the Communist, because he attacked the A.W.U. at every opportunity. The Communist furthered his interests by white-ant-ing such an organisation as tho A.W.U,

CONTROLLING THE JOB. While much talk has been going on as to the need for industrial unionism (says the Sydney Labour Daily), the Federated Furnishing Trade Society of Australasia has been building up an industrial organisation which can possibly stand as a model to every other trade union body in the country. The basis of organisation in this society is the shop unit. The other day, for instance, delegates from 147 shops met in the Trades Hall to discuss the business of the organisation. By this means the obsolete general meeting, which generally comprises only, a few of the dominant element in the organisation is done away with. Instead, every shop is represented, and therefore any decision which is earned out represents tiro real will of the rank and file. These delegates are appointed by shop committees constituted by every man on the job. Fully 40 of these meetings are held every month, and each of them is attended by an official of the union. At the meetings, shop gnevances are discussed, and business is forwarded on to be considered by the executive, or if necessary a general meeting of shop delegates. In 19?.4 437 of these lunch-hour shop meetings were conducted by officials. The executive is composed of the union officials, and a representative from each of tho 13 trades represented in the industry. Even tho “Girls Section” sends a woman to the executive, fib is body controls the union, which is thus seen to operate upon a purely industrial basis. , , Another feature of the Furnishing Trades Society is the. manner in which it controls the job. It is 109 per cent, organised, and is thus able to enforce its demands wherever necessary. It has put into Operation the system of the “0.K..” card, which was unanimously adopted by the Inter-state Conference of the society in Melbourne in September, 1921, and again re-affirmed in Members of tho Federation in all States are required to first obtain tho card from their branch office before starting on a job, and must hand it to the committee at tho place of employment. Under no circumstances is tho rule departed from. In this way . the organisation is able to obtain for its members benefits in many oases exceeding by far the wages and conditions laid down by the award. In December, 122 men were placed through the office. Although the award wage is £5 2s a week, 29 men were nlnced in jobs paying £5 10s, and 45 in jobs paying at £5 15s, The lowest wage obtained was £5 ss, and tho highest £6 12s. A feature of the organisation is tho sign, “Keep off advertisements. _ Apply to office for jobs." In this way it is able to control the source of labour, and is therefore able to control the job. As a trade union organisation its officials are certainly entitled’ to, claim that it is unique. While some elements have been talking of building up industrial organisations, tho furniture men have been pegging away at their own bodv and have succeeded in creating a form of organisation, which is purely industrial, and is able to function as such.

A DOUGHTY CHAMPION OF LABOUR. From time to time there have appeared In this column references to Mr Will J. French, who during the 30 years he has lived in the .State of California has played a leading part, in organising and directing the Labour forces in that part of the United States. Born In Auckland, he served his time ns a compositor In the offices of the Southern Cross and Star, but attracted by the glamour of the Pacific Slope he migrated to San Francisco ns a young man. Once settled at his trade, he was not long In taking an active part in the affairs of the local Typographical Union. i« which ho successively filled every office from secretary to president, and had the satisfaction of placing on a sound financial and lasting basis. Being a humanitarian he realised very early that there was a deplorable wastage of human life through the carelessness of the workers when using complex machinery, and often through the censurable negligence of employers to adopt reasonable safeguards for the protection of the lives of adult and Juvenile labourers. Sure of his ground. In this relation he organised a wonderful campaign, which he personally conducted, and thanks to the consistent encouragement of Mr Hiram Johnson, then Governor of the State, and now one of the leaders of the Republican Party in the United States Senate, he succeeded In obtaining the legislative enactment of a law which set up the Accident and Insurance Department on Market street, San Frnnsico, where it rendered splendid service in checking accounts and iri providing medical comforts for and also sustenance on a liberal scale during the time that the worker was unable to follow his regular employment. Mr French was apnolnted by Governor Johnson to be one of the original members of the commission, and later succeeded to the Chief Commissionerahip, which position he held for several years. He was also successful In establishing an excellent museum, In which was exhibited every device and Invention patented in America for the prevention of explosions in mines, etc. And the writer of this note, when he last visited the States, was conducted through this marvellous museum, which occupied one floor of the big Underwood, building, and was an interested auditor of tho proceedings in Mr French’s court, when ho was dealing with claims for compensation for accident, whereat no attorney Is allowed to appear, the decision of the court being largely founded on common sense and tho avoidance of all legal technicalities. Those who desire to see whether this novel court justified its existence should pay a visit to the Public Library, when Mr M'Bwan can furnish them with confirmation as strong ns Holy Writ. But over one of the presidential elections when California 'vent the Democratic ticket trouble arose between the new Governor Richardson and Mr French over tho latter’s refusal to honour n promise of preferment, and m consequence Mr French resigned his post as Chief Commissioner and accompanying his ’-Otter of resignation was a most caustic commentary on tho impolicy of putting one’s trust in politicians. During the last two years or so Mr French has used his zeal and thrown all his energies into the establishment of a natural fund for tho support of the blind, and is one of the most active workers in tho State on behalf of tho Red Cross movement. Ho is an able lecturer, wields a facile pen as a journalist, and is i bio to marshal his facts in an attractive and convincing manner. If the leaders of the Labour movement in Auckland are wise, ihey should cry to induce Mr French at a convenient ti ne to address a public; meeting and explain the present, trend of tho Labour movement in the United States. Air French’s stay in the dominion will be a short one, as his mission is to see his ftged mother, who Is seriously ill. Mrs French, who is a great social workec at Berkeley, Cal., accompanies him.