PREFERENCE TO UNIONISTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2785, 31 July 1907, Page 36

PREFERENCE TO UNIONISTS.

" POSITION HAS GOT TO BE FACED." (Fkoii Ouk Own Cobsxspondxnt.) WELLINGTON, July 22. " The position of unionists is worse now than it hoe ever been before in the history of unionism in New Zealand. It is a position that has got to be faced. There are 39,000 unionists in New Zealand, and they are not going to have -the ground cut from under their feet. If they cannot get a fair measure of protection from the law of the colony, they will have to consider their position — I say it advisedly, — they will have to consider their position." Such was the declaration made by Mr A. H. Cooper (president of the Trades and Labour Conference), who was at the head of the deputation representing the conference which waited upon the Minister of Labour this evening. He was urging the demand of the Labour jjarty for compulsory preference to unionists, when he uttered the words quoted He admitted thai the problem was a knotty one for the t>overnnrent to face. The unions thought that they had a pa.-cicularly strong grievance in this resp<jot. They had been led to believe, not by the Government, but by rumour, o* some occult means, that they were going to get imp roved treatment after the last change in the constitution of the Arbitration Court. Instead of this, however, they were now, under the awards delivered by Mr Justice Sim, in a worse position, so far as preference was concerned, than they had ever been since the passing of the Arbitration Act. "We ha\e no preference now." he said. "We had a measure of preference before, hedged round, it is true, with certain restrictions.' When Mr Martin was president, he said, it was ordered, at" the request of the employers, that an employment book should be kept for the convenience of both parties, and when preference wafe granted it was on condition that the unions admitted to their ranks without ballot or election all competent workmen on payment of a stipulated entrance fee and succeeding contributions. This compelled the unions to adopt the "open door" policy, and to admit to their rank» noncompetent worker?. This had reacted on the employers, who iiad now secured the abolition of these conditions. It had now been provided on the employers' representations, that unionists applying for work should be known to the employer, but it was hardly necessary to cay that there were a thousand and one ways in which this provision could be defeated. If an employer said that he did not know " Tom Jor.es" or Bill Smith," who was to prove that he did know them? It 6imply meant that the employers could do as they liked. The whole thing was in their hands. To preserve the organisation of the workers it was necessray that they should have preference. The organisation of both employees and employers should be encouraged, and preference should be mutual. " The workers of the colony," he went on to say, "have sacrificed their bread and butter before to-day for the «ake of their unions, and if necessary they will do it again to-morrow. We have almost lost patience with the act, and we ask you, eir, to place, on the Statute Book

some provision that will protect and safeguard the interests of the unionists of the colony." The Minister, in his reply to the deputation, made no direct reference to the preference question. He stated, however, that tihe proposed amendment to the Arbitration Act was _ now tinder the consideration of the Cabinet, and that it would be circulated amongst the unionists and all those interested as soon as possible — probably next week. The bill, he said, would provide amongst other things for the settlement of disputes within a month from the time of being filed. " I want," he said, "the best advice from everybody. The object of the Government is to get «, workable act that will, as far as possible, give satisfaction to everybody."