UNEMPLOYED URGED NOT TO ACCEPT PRESENT RATES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18189, 23 June 1927, Page 9

UNEMPLOYED URGED NOT TO ACCEPT PRESENT RATES.

COMMUNIST LEADS PROTEST MEETING IN WELLINGTON. (Special to the “Star.”) WELLINGTON, June 23. A meeting attended by fifty unemployed was held yesterday with the object, it was stated, of organising the unemployed section of labourers to protest against the low rate of wages being paid by the Government. The organisation is not intended to work in opposition to the Alliance of Labour, but to secure a direct representation of the unemployed on the committee set up by the Alliance in connection with the matter. At a meeting of unemployed presided over by trade union officials recently a motion was tabled with the object of securing unemployed this representation, but was refused by the chairman. Mr Freeman was nominated to the chair. Before accepting he said: “ I wish to say that I am a Communist. The Communist Party is one that takes an interest in any fight for the betterment of organised workers.” “ Are you at this meeting going to further Communist ideals or are you chiefly concerned with the interests of the unemployed? ” asked one of those present. Mr Freeman: My first interest in this is organising the unemployed. Mr Freeman took the chair and a committee of five was appointed with a president and secretary to raise a fighting fund. It was decided to approach various trade unions for support to start the fund. The commencement of a fund by putting in a few shillings was suggested but the chairman said that at all costs the support of organised labour must be retained. There were two courses for the unemployed who had slept out and were hungry. They could either go up the line to “ scab ” wages at nine shillings a day or they could go to the Charitable Aid Board and demand three meals and a bed a day. It was no use going individually. They must go in a body. “Those of you who are men, ’ said Mr Freeman “will go to the Charitable Aid Board. The rest can go up the line.” A voice: Not on your life. Mr Freeman said that they must keep together and urge weak members not to accept 9s a day. A member: Is it advisable to go to the Charitable Aid Board and work three hours for three meals? Mr Freeman: I would say straight out go up and apply for work at the board, work three hours and get three meals. When you go up there you are doing unproductive work. You are hurting the authorities and by so doing you will get them to turn round and increase the rates so that you can go up the line. The suggestion that subscription lists be put out was met by the reply that the fund was not intended for meals and beds, but to place the position before the public. It was decided that the committee arrange for a deputation to wait on the Trades and Labour Council and Labour Representation Committee asking for representation of the unemployed on those bodies. Trustees were appointed for the fund. It was decided that the committee take steps to ask for the co-operation of the labour movement as a whol efor the purpose of calling meetings of unemployed workers and the public, to protest against the nine shillings and twelve shillings a day rates of wages. It was further decided that the Labour Bureau be declared black. The chairman pointed out that this would necessitate picketing and the education of those who went there for work in the right” principles. The following resolution was moved: “ We the unemployed workers of Wellington, realising that as long as we remain unorganised wc are a menace to organised labour, call on the workers of Wellington to support us in our demand for trade union rates of maintenance. We realise, further, that with the support of organised labour in Wellington our fight against scab wages can be more effectively waged, and we call upon trade unions to give our organisation recognition and support. The chairman pointed out that opposition had to be laced in labour itself. They had to be prepared to fight for their object. . The motion was carried.