The Bootmakers' Strike.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4945, 8 May 1894, Page 3

The Bootmakers' Strike.

TO THE EDITOR. Sib,— l do not belong to the Bootmakers' Union, so I hope the advice I give will not be put down to anyone personally interested in Maine Bros.' quarrel with the Union. In fact, I belong to no Union, bnt I shall be most glad to join in an amalgamated Union of Unions, if ever we are lucky enough to get one. Having said so much, I shall now offer what I couBider a very simple solution to the difficulty between Maine Bros, and the Bootmakers' Union. It must be very evident to your readers ihat Maine Bros, are most anxious to do what is right, especially when we remember how liberally they have offered cheques from time to time to assist the Union as regards keeping up the wages and shortening the hours of labour. But for all that it seems as if there is some misunderstanding. Maine Brothers refuse to discharge their non-union hands, and I; for one, say they are quite right in taking that stands as I have no wish to see anyone out of employment ; but the difficulty must be got over, and the way to do it is for Maine Brothers to make the non-union men join the Union, and insist that all new hands taken on by them shall be Union men. The Union is either a good thing or a bad. I firmly believe it is a good thing for masters and men to be united without any shuffling. It ia the only way to kill sweating. Ab a private individual I never encourage any sweating • shops, and it would be well for the community if no one else did. You may call it boycotting if you like, I am one of those that think the boycott perfectly justifiable where any injustice is being carried on. The majority of thinking people, are tired of the claptrap about "the liberty of the subject." Who has any right, I should like to know, to starve their employes? and yet, for the want of unity, under that plea many have had to succumb to the cruel sweating which has been carried on by those who prate about freedom. Seeing that Maine Bros, have asked for someone: to arbitrate for them outside the Boot* makers' Union, I hope they will not think me presumptuous in suggesting that they should either try and strengthen the Union by making all their employe's join it, which would be both jußt and generous, or else that, they should decline to have anything more to do with it. This running witb the hare and hounds at the same time is very displeasing to many of your readers, of whom I am one.— l am, &c, SHOBTEE HOUBS.