EMPLOYERS' FEDERATION AND PRE FERENCE TO UNIONISTS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 676, 29 November 1909, Page 8

EMPLOYERS' FEDERATION AND PRE FERENCE TO UNIONISTS.

; Sir—Will you'kindly afford me space to refer to the above matter, as , I feel that tho 'employers' representatives present, the question of preference in a decidedly wrong aspect, and although it may not be their iutention to wilfully mislead tlie. worker and the . public generally,'still'l cannot conceive the possibility' of such a businesslike and intelligent body sinning from ignoraace. - In their deliberations, of November '17 it ' is: stated in. your issue of that' date, "that the executive tilled upon "the' employers tho necessity of continued objection being made nntil tho industrial awards of the Dominion are cleared of a clause which is obnoxious,. not. only to. employers, 'fiuf to. a very largo number of our bast workers." That' it is objectionable. to. the employers is.,beyond .dis-' putc, but, that it is so to .the .workers is, to say tlici: least, palpably'incorrect, .otliorwiso the wholo of thn unions, without' any excoption, in .filing, ; h- dispute-'/would'.' not include.'% pre-" ferenco' clause their " claim for'' an •' award, the Court favours it. as" is eWdenti

from, the fact of such a large number of unions obtaining- preference.-. Also, Mr., Jus-, tice Sim has expressed himself from the bench to the effect "that if he were an employer of labour "ho would not (five, employment to a worker who was not a member of a union." This is just, on the grounds that the rniions exist for tho purpose of defending the. legitimate rights of the workers, and also to improve the conditions of the same, and when this is. accomplished,-all,.whether members of the union or otherwise, participate in tho'improvod conditions, and the. non-unionist is getting .something for nothing,'inasmuch as ho has done none of the paying, and none, of tho fighting.- Also,'tho omployer is condemning the unions for- endeayournm- to -obtain; preference, and at-the same time the Employers'- Federation gives, preference to any employer who is a' member of their association, and would make it appear as though - that which "was right for them was wrong for us. , w . ou '^-'"K® to state here that'in any award that is given by the Court, if preference is not given to the union, then it invariably means preforenoo to the non-unionists. - One employer told me that if any of'his workmen joined our union he would discharge hjm, oven if it washis own brother : (and-his brother was working for him, and happened- to'be present at the time). .It is .contended by ..the Employers' Federation that, the employer i 6 the best judge of the most suitable man to do the work he requires, and he should be allowed the freedom of choice, in selecting his: workmen.- I submit that he is at no time deprived of .that freedom, and the reason is clear. If preference is given to the union, you always get what we term the Court preference,-, clause, which gives - the nm-unionist a month to join the union, and if he declines to do so, and the union have, any members out of employment equally capable of doing the work, and willing to perform the same, preference, shall bo given to the member of the said union.-' The position is that when preference ,is obtained all the workers engaged in tho particular industry in. question join the union,. and when two applicants present themselves-the employer has the same freedom of. choosing the most suitable man to carry out his work, only that in this case- they...are both unionists. In the former case there are; still, two applicants, only one .is -a unionist and/one a non-unionist, and it is easy to see which, will be selected. Therefore, I repeat, the employer,': has still the freedom of choice' in the case, of a union having preference, which he formerly ho:d, of choosing the most suitable man.. I think, this is an aspect of the case that'has'not striick tho worker as a whole, and I trust that for the fnture ho will not allow dust to' be thrown in his eyes, but that' he will take his place in the i-ranks of labour and go . shoulder to shoulder with his follow, worker, and identify himself . with .-a union which is spending its money and giving its tin'ie and Strength, for his benefit. ' There is one way, and only one way, 1 for the worker to improve bis present' condition,: and -that is by .Organisation..' Thanking you in anticipation.—l ?m, , etc., . . ' . S, J. ELSTON.