HOTEL WORKERS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CVIII, Issue 16801, 3 April 1919, Page 2

HOTEL WORKERS.

UNIONISM AND PROHIBITION. At a meeting of-workers, employed .in hotels, private hotels,; restaurant and tea rooms, held in the Olldfellows' Hall last evening,, addresses on Unionism and Prohibition, and how both of • them would affect the" workers, were given by Mr R. A. Brooks, and.Mr E. Kennedy, from the Chfistchureh and Welington hotel Workers unions respectively. .''•.'.-.' •■■''■• '-■• '■ r ■■':■■ ■:-.•■■■ ' Mr Brooks explained why the Christ!church union had. not extended its operations so as to embrace the workers in the industry in Timaru, but pointed out that recently the union had been reorganised in Christchurch, and as -the present agitation' • was finished with the Union would extend its activities to cover Timaru.

. Mr E.- Kennedy then explained the legislation -dealing with compensation ] to employees, in the event of prohibition being .carried,, pointing out that the hotel workers' ohtnce or getting any compensation was very; remote indeed. He therefore urged the workers in Timaru to do all in their power to assist in defeating prohibition. The Prohibition Party had said that' prohibition would not cause unemployment, hut they had not said what Was to become of hotel workers, now numbering 11,000 odd, besides all those employed in breweries, making the total nearly 14,000. Then there were all the policemen and workers in asylums who the Prohibition Party said would not be needed if the liquor traffic were abolished. The carrying of prohibition would have a disastrous effect in causing unemployment. Mr Kennedy referred to statements "that hotel employees are poorlv paid. He denied that, and said that female workers were paid far better than in, big drapery establishments, and hotelkeepers had never fought unionism as the big drapers had done, 1 hut had always been ready to come to amicable agreements. . The hotel workers' union had taken many years to build un, and ,the carrying of prohibition would destroy it, and he thbught other unions would hear that in mind on April 10th.