FARM WORKERS’ UNION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19551, 6 August 1925, Page 15

FARM WORKERS’ UNION.

TO THE EDITOR. SiE,—The impression given by your leader on the above subject and also by Mr Justice Frazer’s statement is that only large unions and demonstrably discontented unions should secure an award. If that is not advocating pin-pricking, “going .slow,” or actual striking it is very near doing so. At the very least sympathy should have been shown by the court and by you to workers who, on the evidence of the employers alone, were working much below the court’s own basic rate. As to representative unions, you will possibly remember very clearly that in quite a number of employments to-day the court has made awards where only the minimum members were secured, and the whole or the men in the industry were against an award being made. If such thing had not happened already in New Zealand, all die militant unions- would by now have de-registored and possibly secured better terms outside the court. But they know that the employers have only to get 15 men into an arbitration union and secure an award whenever it would be asked for. It looks very much like if it were merely a question of suiting the employers. If the court is going to make awards only where matters are comparatively easy and dodge all those industries in which some difficulties would arise, then it is of little value to the workers generally. The claim of the farmers that they should have the right to deal with their labourers individually as to hours, conditions, and wages, while at the same time they ask, and have got from the State legal powers in regard to the disposal of fruit, dairy produce, and meat, which enable them to deal collectively with commission agents, insurance companies, shipping companies, banks, and buyers, is a claim surely a little more onesided than the public should stand for. The case of the farm workers coming before the court recently has at least been of some service to the workers. It showed that farmers were not paying a living wage and were hostile to doing so. It showed that if workers frequently do not demonstrate their troubles the powers that fco take it as granted l tnat they have none. And for the farm workers what the fudge said amounts to this. That if they join the union and bring along evidence the court will consider making an award.—l am, etc.. Union Member. Allan ton, August 4.