TRADE UNIDNISM.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 125, 19 July 1911, Page 3

TRADE UNIDNISM.

A CHINESE ORGANISATION. A revolution lias been aceomplishsU in tno conditions governing tno making of lunuture by Ohmese lu/ioui_ iu \ ictona. j.t took some years 01 secret agitation and many meetings to adapt tno scheme of trade unionism to file peculiar subtleties or tiio lias let n inuul, but work lias resulted in the! formation of a completely disciplined organisation, to which even tue wealthiest Chinese employers of labour are very respectful, the union nas coasted lor a number of years as one oi tne many secret societies that nourish iu Chinatown, bat it is only during the past si;; or seven mouths that it lias Held absolute control over Cie conditions ot labour in the Chinese 1 urniture factories. As one would expect, its history inis not been disclosed, but a reporter of a Melbourne’ journal Ims managed to glean some Inets touching its constitution and itsi aims. It is organised like anj other union, in that it lias rules, a high entrance fee, an executive committee, a president, a secretary, and regular days of meeting. It has accepted a species of “boss rule” as being essential to its success. The .decisions of the union in regard to j oliey matte vs are conveyed to members ’’S' moans of printed slips, and some hi’these convey a fair idea of its platform. Br oadly put, the objects ■. f the union are to raise the entire stan- j dard of Chinese' 1 furniture-makers’ wages; to exclude all Europeans item I Chinese factories; to prevent Chinese I employers giving any surplus of «ork to factories employing Australian work men: to reliefer it impossible lor Indians to capture the trade from the dhinose craftsmen; to provide a cleonce fund for the aid of all members vho come within the clutches of the factory Act inspectors, or o' the poles. The ' rules against the empliynent or encouragement of men of any itiicr nue ;11 connection with the mlustry are those most tenaciously opioid. White employers make co.m-

laint of the tyranny and dictatorial lethods of Australian unions. Ihoir nes have fallen in pleasant places,

compared with the lot of the Chinee employer, for the Asiatic Union is merciless in its infliction of fines. Every time a Chinese is discovery.l

employing a white man or an Indian, the union inflicts a fine of £2 10s, the £2 pomp to the ini'ornter, and the 10s to the expenses fund of the union. Similar penalties are exacted, and are always paid, in respect of other breaches of union laws. The Chinese trade union, it may ho added, acts entirely without the law, and its members join cheerfully with the employers of their own race when an inspector is to ho hoodwinked, or a police court J.P. misled.