ARE UNIONS RESPONSIBLE FOR STRIKES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13748, 10 September 1908, Page 5

ARE UNIONS RESPONSIBLE FOR STRIKES.

Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Sept. 9. Ai the Arbitration Court to-day, Mr M. J. llcardon, secretary of the Labourei.s' Union, took exception to a new departure by the Court in stipulating that if a strike occurs, all parties arc released from an award. He contended it was unfair to workers, and quoted instances of small alleged strikes at Wanganui and in Wellington, of which the Union had no knowledge, yet it would have to affect the whole of the labourers under the award. Judge Sim asked if the Labourers' Union" were not affiliated to the Wellington Trades and Labour Council, which had upheld the bakers' strike. Mr Reardon said it was, and that it appeared necessary to help strikers at the time. They endeavoured to bring the strike to an end, and were deteated. His Honour : Why did not the Tradea and Labour Council pass a resolution disapproving of the strike instead of approving of it? Your leaders want to have arbitration and strikes too. If you can't get a thing by arbitration you strike. That is simply the position at present. Your Union may not be directly responsible for one small strike, but indirectly they are responsible by the action of the union leaders: in approving of strikes. They appear! to approve of strikes if any workers go| out on strike, instead of observing the law, they break it. Mr Reardon: We claim to withhold our labour if we think fit. That has been recognised in British law since 1825. His Honour: And you must do it in concerted order, to get by coercion something you cannot get by arbitration.