SAWMILL WORKERS

Southland Times, Issue 21179, 4 September 1930, Page 15

SAWMILL WORKERS

SOUTHLAND UNION. MEETING OF EXECUTIVE. An executive meeting of the Southland Sawmill Workers’ Union was held on Saturday, August 30. x The president apologised on behalf of Mr M. K. McDonald, whom, he stated, was in the Riverton Hospital on account of a serious illness. He moved that a .motion be placed on record sympathizing with Mr McDonald in his trouble. Several members wrote from Catlins River stating that they had been dismissed without the required notice in accordance with the award. It was decided to place the matter in the hands of the Inspector of Awards, Dunedin, for investigation. A communication was received from the Inspector of Factories, Invercargill, stating that he had taken action against an employer in the Eastern District, for not complying with the provisions of the award in not allowin"' the bushmen walking time one way and he stated that the case had been heard before the Court on August 21, and a penalty for a breach of the award was inflicted by the Magistrate. A communication was received from a delegate stating that there were several men employed at his mill who were not members of the Union. The secretary (Mr T. O'Byrne) stated that he had written to the men in question, and also the employer, stating that there were several financial capable members on the books ready and willing to take their place if they did not join up. A communication was received from the said employer stating that he felt sure that the men in question would become financial members and if not, the union could send men to fill their places. The employer was thanked for has trouble. An ex-member wrote from the Hawkes Bay District, stating that there was no union in his district and asked for information as to the procedure to adopt for the purpose of forming an organization. The secretary stated that he had supplied the required information. Several members wrote asking the union to collect their arrears of wages. The secretary stated that he was negotiating on their behalf. The matter was left in the secretary’s hands to deal with. A communication was received from a delegate at Tahakopa, stating that an unfortunate accident had occurred to one of the men at his mill, resulting in half the foot being crushed off. He inquired what compensation would the injured man be entitled to. The secretary stated that he had informed the writer that the member was entitled to two-thirds payment until such time as he was able to do some light work, and also a further two thirds payment for the loss of any earning power for a period not exceeding six years of the difference of what he could earn before and after the accident, but if the foot was deemed to be useless then he was entitled to GO per cent, of his average earnings for 208 weeks preceding the accident. The matter was left in the secretary’s hands to deal with. A member from the Tokanui District wrote stating that he had been dismissed from the mill and a non-member was taken on. The employer had not informed the delegate in accordance with the provisions of the award that he had engaged a nonunionist. The writer wanted to know the reason why the union had not taken action against the said employer for not informing the delegate that he had engaged a non-member. The secretary stated that the delegate had left the mill and therefore there was no delegate when the non-unionist w’as engaged, but the man in question had joined up and a new delegate had been appointed. The. secretary’s explanation was received and endorsed. Four members wrote asking the union to collect their compensation on account of accidents they had received while employed at the sawmills. The secretary stated that he had success-

fully negotiated the claims. The secretary of the Tuatapere branch wrote stating that a meeting of that branch of the union had been held in Tuatapere on August 25, when over 30 members were present from all mills in the district. He stated that the meeting was of the unanimous opinion that a Saturday half-holiday should be observed, the time to be worked up, and with this end in view, the secretary was instructed to get the opinion of all the members and employers in the district with a view of having the Saturday half-holiday observed.

The secretary stated that in accordance with the present award, it was competent for the union and the employers to agree as to the working hours daily to allow for a half-holiday in each week, and this could now be carried out by the workers at each mill and the employers agreeing to work up the time for the purpose of having a halfholday. The secretary was instructed to make further inquiries into the matter and report to the next meeting. A member wrote inquiring what were the duties of a mill delegate. On the motion of the president it was decided to inform the writer that the main duties of a delegate were to see that men became members of the union and to collect their contributions up to twelve months, thereafter to hand same over to the union to take legal action against the defaulters. It was not a delegate’s duty to report breaches of the award, but if a breach occurred, the individual who was affected was the proper person to complain to the union. A member wrote inquiring under the Accommodation Act, the number of men that could be accommodated in one hut.

The secretary stated that in accordance with the act, a sleeping room should be of such dimensions as would provide not less than 400 cubic feet of air space and 45 square feet of floor space for each person accommodated therein, and that the walls should not be less than B£t high in any part and not more than two persons should be allowed to sleep in any room. Separate rooms in all cases should be provided for sleeping and for meals, and no persons should be required or permitted to sleep in any room where food was usually kept or in any place insufficiently shut off from such a room.

The secretary was instructed to supply the writer with a copy of the act. The secretary reported having attended an open conference of organized Laboui called by the Alliance of Labour, in Wellington, to consider the Unemployment Bill as brought down by the Government. There were present 65 delegates representing industrial unions with a membership of 74,663. The conference lasted for five days and the whole Bill was gone into clause by clause and the consolidated opinion was arrived at and placed before the Parliament Labour Bills Committee.

The secretary stated that time did not permit to give the whole deliberation of i the conference, but he stated that Clause 5 of the Bill which laid down that every male worker over 20 years of age should pay an annual levy of 30/- contribution towards the relief of unemployment, was vigorously opposed and an emendment was adopted by the conference having the effect of bringing females whhin the scope of the Bill, also reducing the age of which contribution should be made from 20 to 16 years. Instead of a flat rate of 30/- contribution to the fund it should be by way of a levy of one penny in the pound on all incomes up to £2OO, increasing by one four hundredth part of a penny for every pound of income thereafter, but those who received the war, old age and miner’s phthisis pensions to be exempt. There was also a motion carried that sustenace allow’ance be 30/per week for the husband, 17/6 for wife and 5/- for each child. Various other amendments were also suggested. Mr O'Byrne also stated that the Workers’ Compensation Committee report on the Workers’ Compensation Act was fully considered by the conference and the decisions arrived at would be fully brought under the notice of the Government.

The report was adopted. The secretary stated that during the month he had visited mills at Seaward Bush, Tokanui, Orepuki, Tuataperc, Papatotara and Otautau,