CASUAL LABOUR

Southland Times, Issue 25341, 20 July 1935, Page 5

CASUAL LABOUR

WATERFRONT WORKERS SYSTEM CONDEMNED BY JUDGE REMEDY SUGGESTED (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright.) (Rec. 10.5 p.m.) Sydney, July 19. Judge Beeby in the Federal Arbitration Court to-day condemned casual labour on the waterfront during the hearing of a claim by the Ship Painters' and Dockers’ Union for a new award. He said there was nothing worse in any community than casual labour. A man who had no place in society but just wandered about hawking his labour’ by the hour’ was in an unenviable position. He pointed out that there was a small group of ship painters and dockers earning a little over £3 a week, the next group was earping £2 and the last proup under £2. The remedy seemed to be to limit the number of men scrambling fox - jobs and throw the responsibility upon the State of finding work for the supplies. Judge Beeby mentioned the case of wharf workers in Brisbane a few years ago when at least 1400 men were competing for work. Eventually . they were reduced in number to 700, with the result that all were earning £4 a week and were permanently employed.