A LOCAL STRIKE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2224, 23 June 1908, Page 2

A LOCAL STRIKE.

“When is a. strike not a strike?” appears likely to be one of the pressing problems of our industrial world just now. Local unionists will probably disclaim most earnestly any suggestion that they bare been guilty of promoting a strike, and it would lie hard to prove t„ the satisfaction of a court of law that they have transgressed so far, yet what are the facts? Members of the AVaterside AA'orkers’ Union, dissatisfied with the conditions of their labor, took a case to the Arbitration Court. The award given included some decisions which met with the workers’ approval, and some which did not. They have evidently acted upon the astounding doctrine that they are at liberty to accept- such portions of the award aa seem favorable to themselves, and to reject the remainder; truly a novel form of arbitration. Yesterday.when the Gisborne Sheepfurniers’ Company wished to load the .->.s. Kara mea, they found that the hands a ho usually undertake the work did not offer themselves for employment, and had it not been that there was ample labor from other sources available the operations of one of our biggest firms would have been brought to a standstill. If this is not a strike then it is -hard to know what is. Circumstances happened to be favorable t.o the Company. and it has .been ablo to conduct its operations without any delay or very serious inconvenience, but this does not alter the significance of tlie unionists’ attitudo. The fact of the matter is the Government has, in its great fear of alienating the Union vote, permitted the Arbitration Act to be almost a dead letter, and its

work a farce, with the natural result fh it Unionists are treating it with contempt. In this case we havo tho spectacle of employers being put to tlio trouble and expense of preparing a defence for the Arbitration Court, where the solemn farce is perpetrated of contesting a dispute and obtaining nu award which one of the parties to the dispute lias no intention of accepting save on such points as the decision may ho favorable to themselves. Inasmuch as the award held that the rates of pay for loading general cargo was to be raised it was considered an excellent judgment and one to ho obeyed, hut where it stipulated for a reduction in the charges for loading and .discharging frozen, meat it was an iuiquitious decision that should he defied. This is the real position, and all that may be said about the men being casual hands.only, who merely “declined lo accept an engagement,” will not affect the principle. Wo are surely having a taste of wlmt lias been formed the “tyranny of labor” •when this kind of thing has to he submitted to, and it is to lie hoped that the good sense of the community will soon assert itself, and compel legislative, steps to be taken that will-give some sort of equity to the operation of our .labor laws.'