FROM THE EMPLOYERS' POINT OF VIEW.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14832, 25 November 1913, Page 7

FROM THE EMPLOYERS' POINT OF VIEW.

A PLAIN STATEMENT OF THE CASE. A representative of "The Press" had a talk yesterday with a wellknown livery stable-keeper, whose interests are rather vitally affected by the new phase of the strike. As may be imagined, he was not particularly pleased with the turn of affairs. Ho

pointed out that *t was only a few days ago that the liv\v stable employees were before Mr » rstice Sim in the Arhjtration Court wr> tho idea of getting a new award. T\ case was heard at length, and the ntv award might be out at any minute now. It had !*ee_ said that thero was no award in force until the new ono cauie out, but he thought that it was generally recognised that tho old award held good until the new one was properly registered. If it was not so, tho employees would have no real protection, and an employer might cut down wages and lengthen hours until the time the now award came out in legal fashion. "We were before the Court last Thursday," said our informant, "i rang up Mr Hiram Hunter last Saturday, and asked him what tho position was. Tho reply 1 received was that tbe men would have to come out. It is a fact all right that the vast majority of the men don't want to come out, and the horsemen employed by mc presented themselves for work this morning as usual to a man. Now, my troubles begin; I can't lock these men out, or I rentier myself liable to a severe penalty, but 1 feel inclined to give them work if auv orders happen to come in. I shall certainly lot them go to work if they want to, but I cannot have them just hanging about tho stables doing nothing, and drawing their pay just the same.

'It seems to mo that tho men aro all very hazy about the fine they render themselves liable to by striking. Some ot tho strike leaders have told them that they are not liablo to the £'10 line, and that only tho union is liablo, which would mean only a matter of a few shillings per head to the men. But I take it that the fact is that as tho men are working under an award of the Arbitration Court, they are certainly liable to a fine of £10 each if they strike. I have applied to the Drivers' Union regarding exemptions; I said, 'What about funerals, and whnt about the ambulance service if it is needed?' but I got very little satisfaction from the secretary of the union. He merely said that he would lay the matter before the Btnke Committee, and almost immediately ho rang mo up and said that if I laid an application in writing beforo the committee it would be duly considered.

'I'anoy a situation like this arising in the year 1913! I certainly shall not go hat-in-hnnd to any Strike Committee asking permission to carry on mv business, but if my men want to work I shall just carry on as though affairs were normal. There may he orders for funeral work or ambulance work at any minute, and these must be attended to at any cost.

"All the taxi-cab drivers want to go to. work badly. They feel that they havo been bamboozled and dragged into this trouble against their will,'and through no action of their own. It was a long time before they would combine with the Drivers' Union at all. but after persistent attempts harl been made to get them they consented, on the distinct understanding that they should be a section of their own, with power to control their own affairs. Now they find they are a small section of a big union, and though they have nothing in common with t" c reit of the nniorl'. they being in the minority, have to do what they are told. Mr" Hunter had three tries to get' the taximen and failed twice, but at the third small meeting he carried tho proposition by a few votes."