AN IRATE EMPLOYER.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12506, 6 April 1909, Page 4

AN IRATE EMPLOYER.

Employers of labour who do not tjjjre kindly to our advanced legislation will sympathise with the man who "wrote _in the -following terms to a union secretary in Tasmania recently. - The latter was -read during proceedings in the Commonwealth Arbitration Court; and caused considerable amusement :— "Sir,— My first impulse .- on the reoeipt of the ridiculous and impudent notice forwarded by your clique of wastrel agitators was -to throw it behind the fire; but after a .little amused reflection I decided to so far honour- you as to make the following reply:— l employ on an average 37 hands; some good" and some indifferent workers, I pay each man what I think he is worth. When any of then are dissatisfied with me they 'teli me so, and look for employment elsewhere. Whenever lam dissatisfied with any .of them I tell them so and they must either show an . impiovement or find another job. I have found this plan work very well, and lam so well pleased with the opinion I have of my ability to manage my own business that I\absolutely refuse to' be dictated to by a set of howling union wasters from the other States. - If your representative shows his face on my premises I can promise him all the agitation -he ..'.'wants. Hitherto I have been perfectly indifferent as to whefher my men belonged to a union or not ; but .after 1 your pieposterous demand ■ for preference, -I think it is time to show the jprefer- ■ ence you write about. ' For the fut-; ur? 1 5 shall, make it my business to , inquire, .'when; men apply to jne for ' employment, ana will give the preference in every case to free labourers: Shabby unionists can go to the~devil, and have all the picnics they want, if you are; particularly anxious to know my scale of wages, just keep on thinking long enough and hard enough and perhaps the .information will be vouchsafed to you."