LABOR MATTERS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2551, 12 July 1909, Page 5

LABOR MATTERS.

DEPUTATION TO MINISTER OF LABOR. [Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, July 10. A deputation from tlie Wellington Furniture Trade Union last night asked the Minister for Labor for informmation as to tho position of unionists under awards giving preference to unionists. The point was that at present there is no law to decide when tho suspension of a non-unionist amounts to dismissal, whereas under one section amounts to dismissal after ten days. It was complained that at present a nonunionist was in a better position than a unionist. A case was instanced where an employer told a man to .take a holiday, and not to put liis name on the employment book. He did as directed, and while he v. r as thus out of work a non-unionist was taken on. The Hon. J. A. Millar, in reply, said no doubt an anomaly existed. He would look into the matter. Probably there would he an amendment of the Arbitration Act next session, though if they started amendments they would have to run the gauntlet of the whole concern, and he had had enough of that last year to last him for some time. In answering the complaint about the method of keeping the > employment book, Mr. Millar said the system was to be altered. Everybody who went to the Labor Department and said he was unemployed would have to fill in a form stating particulars of his circumstances, length of unemployment, etc. Complaint was made regarding a case at Palmerston, where a lad just out of his apprenticeship had been granted an under-rate permit. The union had desired to take action in the case referred to, but the Magistrate had declined to defer the matter. The Minister promised to look into the matter and see what could be done. THE RAILWAY UNION TROUBLE. NEW PLYMOUTH, July 10. At a meeting of tlie New Plymouth branch of the Locomotive Enginedrivers’ and Firemen’s Association, a motion was passed heartily supporting its Executive Council in approaching the Minister for Railways for a separate recognition, as it has no confidence in the Amalgamated Society' to represent the locomotive staff, and further passed a resolution that this branch regrets the statements made by the president of the Amalgamated Society, they being opposed to fact. THE SPLIT IN THE CANTERBURY TRADES COUNCIL. CHRISTCHURCH, . July 10. The “Times” to-day published an interview with officials of four strong trades regarding the withdrawal of affiliation with the Trades Council. Their complaint is that the Council’s time is taken up in discussing political questions and airing of Socialistic views to the neglect of trade union business. The feeling is very strong in many unions against a covert attempt to make the Council lead them into the quarters of Socialism. _ A serious division in the ranks of organised labor in Canterbury is threatened consequent upon, the determination of several unions, amongst them being the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners, Coachmakers’ Union. Bricklayers’ Union, and Hotel. Club, and Restaurant Employees' Union, to secede from the Canterbuiy Trades and Labor Council. The reason for this action on the part of the unions mentioned is that the Council, instead of dealing at its meeting with purely unionist matters, practically devotes the whole time to the discussion of general politics. It is contended that the Council was never intende-d to become a political machine, and its rules are cited in support of this contention. It .is stated that political feeling has become so strong that it has dominated nearly everything that the Council has done" lately. Others state that the Council is merely a political Socialist organisation. Prominent members of the Council, criticising these statements, point out that the Trades and Labor Councils or the Dominion t-ook an active part in the political campaign of 1890, whan the Liberals were returned to power, and that the statement that the introduction of politics is a new feature is disproved by the history and records of the Councils. Members of the Council state that the opposition of a section of the unions to the Council is due -to the fact that some of the delegates are uncompromising supporters of the Government-. whilst other delegates wish to see the Council progress. _ Whenever the Government is criticised by the progressive delegates, Governmentsupporters, by subterfuge and by other means, "attempt to decry the efforts made to effect progress. It is pointed out. further, that the Bootmakers’ Union, the oldest union in Canterbury, recognises the necessity for the Council discussing political questions.. It is apparent from the circular that has been forwarded to all unions in the Dominion that the Canterbury Trades Council is attempting to form a New Zealand Labor Partv. and to further that end it proposes to establish a Labor newspaper. Regarding the proposed newspaper, the . circular says : “The trades unionists and progressive people generally are of opinion that they are not getting fair treatment at the” hands of tho public press at the present juncture. Therefore we ask you to assist in the establishment of a true Labor paper. Our object is to establish the following: (1) Nationalisation of monopolies, (2) initiative referendum and the power of recall of all public officials, (3) free education from primary schools to the university. We are prepared to present to the people a fighting policy of organised trades unionism, as a greed to lm a conference. Our work is to establish a Labor paper which is pledged to carry out the above and thus Better the lot of the people of New Zealand.” MB- JUSTICE SIM ON LARGE DISPUTES. CHRISTCHURCH. July 10. “The unions will have to give up this system of bringing these large disputes remarked Air. Justice Sun, President of the Arbitration Court, this morning, while dealing with the recommendation of tile Council of Conciliation in the general laborers’ dispute. “It simply means that they will not get awards at all with these huge disputes with all classes of employers dragged in.” Referring to the objections of various employers to the recommendation, His Honor added that there were only three employers’ assessors on the. Council, and half a dozen classes of employers could not got representation in a dispute.