Local Laborers’ Union.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 501, 2 September 1890, Page 3

Local Laborers’ Union.

A Mketixg of the members of the newly f tit med Laborers’ Union was he’d at Porter’s

HaH on Saturday night. There were over sixty persons present, the greater portion being from different parts of the country. Mr J. Stewart occupied the chair, and thembers of the Timber Workers’ Union were present. The ehairman intimated it was desirable that those who were not members or had no intention of joining should not remain.

Mr Bilham asked whether it was permitsable fur to remain who wished to ascertain the basis upon which the Union intended to work. He had come in from the country, thinking that one might be present and learn the principles upon which it was proposed tha Uniop should be worked before he decided whether or not he would become a ire über.

The Chairman said the meeting had been advertised as a meeting of members of the Union, and he thought as a fritter of courtesy those who were not members, or did not come with the intention of joining, should withdraw In reply to another speaker the Chairman eaM <he only miners really tfasthe election of officers and the enrolling of new members. Mr Pritchard suggested that anyone might remain so long as if, being non-meoibers, they abstained from voting. The voice of the meeting seemed to be adverse to the suggestion, and Mr Biiham and a numbers of others retired, while many who had not signed came forward and got .enrolled. There were then nearly forty jnembers present. -- Mr J. Mu’looly rose and addressed the meeting. 'He. said he sympathised with Unionism, but he wanted to know how It was proposed this o e should work. He had, he'’ said, had experience both as an employer and

employee ; as ain employer he knew how hard it was to find the wages of those who were working for him, and as an employee he knew how hard it was sometimes for his employer to find his wages He wished to «f-e everything done fairly between man and nr»n. (App’ause). The speaker was procreding to ana’yse th* 1 respective positions of emp’oyeer and employed, when — Mr Hird rose and asked was MrMulloolya member of the Uuion ? The Chairman replied that he had not enrolled.

• Mr Hfrd j Then I object to the time of the meeting being wasted in hearing all this talk ; abou t no< hing. This is a meeting of members of the Union, and we ought to get on with i the business. (Applause.) Mr Cooper, the acting See.etarv, read the correspondence, the p>incipal portion of I which wm a letter from Mr Creagh, cf 1 Napier, eongratnlatiog the Union, and giving j advice as to the manner in which the I preliminaries should be managed. He alan I gave information of the decision of the Napier i Laborers’ Union to boycott the H.B. Herald J and the Napier Telegraph for. as h? put it, | upholding the action of Whitcomb® and I Tombs. It had been decided to withdraw all 1 advertisements from Fuch panerg, and members had been counselled not even to subscribe to papers that did that sort of -thing. Mr Ollivier said that at the previous meeting they had omitted the necessary formality of resolving to form themselves into a Union, and he would nnw move accordingly. Mr George Schmidt Mid that when they decided a Union was nevs&iry it must indicate there was some grievance. What was the grievance which made th*m think it neces?arv to form a Union ? Did th<y propose to go to the equal ters and others and say they most hive high°r wages or shorter hours ? Or what was it ? The Chairman gaid they had no present grievance. It was nonsense to think, just because they form°d a Union, they were going to make unreasonable demands, and ask wbat they knew the employers could not afford to give. He should be sorry to see any «nch disagreement ever occur between them. (Applawe.) What they wantedcombination for mainly was to see that wages were not reduced and hours lengthened. (Applause.) Mr Schmidt wae still in a doubtful mood, and said be assumed there must be aome grievance. Was there a probability of the wages being reduced ? If not what could be the object of th?. Unid-'. ’ The. Chairman thought the principal of Unionism was well understood by every in* Aelligent person. The acting Secretary then read the following from the rules :-«-The objects of the Association are to endeavor to obtain for its members a fair day’s wages for a fair day’s work, to sweep awav abuses, and establish fixed juleg which will secure justice to both employers and employees, and to maintain order and decorum amongst its members, hoping by such means to inculcate a fitting esprit de Corps that will even—tual’y rai ? e them in the estimation of the public, and thus cause the Association to be looked forward to with prjde JjyJXs promoters. To raise a fund by moans of entrrtttce rees, contributions, fines, donations, Ac., ■for the purpose pf fostering the general welfare of the Association, and for the assistance of kindred organisations. As equal rights are the best basis of unionism, the members must never lose eight of :the fact that employers and employed have to be eonsidered in all movements, and that by strictly adhering to this principle a happy unity of spirit will exist among the members; H be ever present in their minds'thabthey are banded together for the mutual good of all, that the motto of the .Association is * Labor omnia Srincit.’—Lfthqp everything;” Mr Mullooly wanted to know how 4t would be in case the men were called out on a general strike ? How were their wives and families to he kept ? Some one replied that in that case strike pay would be given. Mr Mullpolj wanted, to know would the pay be sufficient to keep them. Supposing a man he get sufficient to maintain them—say Seven shillings a day—while he had to remain idle ?

Mr Ollivier said Mr Mullooly seemed to misapprehend the th ■ng. He hoped a strike would never be required. He the combination tube eo conducted as to always retain the sympathy of the puUfe? That they would always have if they were compelled to strike in a just cause. If what they arifed puMitr ©pinion Would be with their cause. But if they overstepped the bounds of what was reasonable they would alienate that -publte “ gym-* pathy, and thus be powerless to attain whaU they demanded. He thought they woqld have * sufficient sense to prevent any such collision. That sympathy in their oause he esteemed almost more highly than unionism itself. The Union would fix what was a rate of pay that would be fair to both’sitter.-’ Mr Mu’looly ; Whois to decide that?—who is going to fix what is a fair day’s wages ? Mr Ol’ivier said tl?ey have their officers, whom they wsre presently going to elect, and he felt sure they cou’d fi-d sufficient brains among them to enquire into and decide such matters.

A gentleman said there were anyamotjnt who wished to join, but they had been asked to retire before hearing the object exptetffed. The Chairman said intending members were not asked to withdraw. The list of members having been read, the e ection of officers waa proceeded with, and

I resulted: —Chairman, Mr J. Stewart ; ViceChairmen, Messrs Jamieson and Dalton ; Secretary, Air A. L. Cooper ; Treasurer, Mr Jamieson ; Committee—Messrs Breignan, Burgess, J. M. Smith, R. Rennie, J. Siddons, D. Jamieson, B. Little, 0. Johnston, T. Bell, J. Hird, A. L. Cooper, and others to be elected in the country. Messrs Little and Pritchard refused to take office because their w rk might interfere with their attending to the duties, and Mr Ollivier declined because he was already an officer in another Union which required •11 his spare time. In returning thanks for his election Mr Stewart mid he had had large experience of the working of these Unions, and he had a personal knowledge of the that now affected them in Australia. The strikers might have gone a step too far—it was not for those at the meeting to say—but he apprehended no such trouble in connection with the Union just formed, and hoped they would always work amicably with employers. (Applause.) Mr Cooper said *he would devote great attention to his work, and in case of any disagreement ever arising b tween the Uuion and employers lie would do his. best to try and get the trouble settled amicably. (Applause.)