CO-OPERATIVE WORKERS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 416, 27 January 1909, Page 2

CO-OPERATIVE WORKERS.

- ALLEGED -' 'SHABBY AND CONTEMTT- ■ • i IBLE" TREATMENT, (BY,' TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL CORRESPONDENTS.) ' ► Chrlstchurch, January 26; " ' ■ : The co-operative workers, on the Domet4 . 1 railway extension- are by no means 'satisfied ' with' the conditions;under which- they : work.-V-■ ,' Some two or three;weeks,ago they- complained ' to the. Hon,.- D. Buddo- about having to'wait ';' 11 >•' 'for their pay ,for weeks afte'r v it : Was -''-' • ;they indignantly;resent' the statementsfmade v ■ i:. jin reply to that complaint'lby; the'V:Ho'n\.'R;- v ''•? M'Kenzie. 'At- a :m^etine. : of;'the; workers' it' i, j~.was stated that a .large body, of men'had to ' f wait for their- first pay from' October 6 until' November l'l, and that fouf'men had to waiir. --- • from the third week in September until NoMember 17 for their wi^«t''.-\%ofk':perf6rme4l'..' :X :'- ,smce; December .12 - would,'nbt*' bb paid lor until some, time in February.; It was < also stated that when work .was stopped at Christ*"' mas, tho Public' Works .Department held; ten ; ' days.; pay. in:hand, which would 'not .be,forth- ' •' comriig' ; until -February.--.The meeting - de/ :; ; ' cided—, . ' , .-'.v-.;'a: "That in view .of ■,the shabby', and 'cori- ' 'temptible way in. which cooperative work- - ers;;afe-treated on ■ estension-'Works,. tho. time has now ar-' i .-rived..'.jvheii it is 'absolutely .necessary to 1 ,, :;. form •a. union' in order, to protect' their.: own interests.'-' . . • - : lt was that the average wage earned '.. ~on the .line was not sufficient for a. married'. .man to live on. The accommodation for both : .married and single men was insufficient, and the branding,'or their' touts ; with a large ~ ibroad arrow made their camp look more lik» a camp of convicts than of free men. Strong ; exception, was taken to compulsory ..holidays. and the twelve idle days during .the Christmas' , ; holidays withoutfnay. -.One married man ' . stated that it would, take him at least threo ; months to pay off .the debts iwliich it was : ■ ' necessary for. him to incur;{duringXthe en«" ' forced holidays.' - r . v At the close. of. the : meeting;'abmit' fortV . men gave .in .-their- names-as .members of the - ' newly-formed, union. ;:■ -a. .