TRADE UNION POWERS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 894, 13 August 1910, Page 6

TRADE UNION POWERS.

Sir,—l supposu "Excluded" expect*' au answer to his efforts to bolster up ' ™ W'who could sign their name as W.-fy e - U j! ss"5 s " more his letter is looked into the more one, wonders at a simple mankind who can bo coerced to' ' join a section of a society which is not , undeistood by Uio .man ( whu. joins 1 I-. can only repeat what I said before for ' our friend "Excluded's" ediflcatioil— that a man joins a'union knowing ho has to pay so much a weak, even if itis tho ordinary section of the Carpenters and Joiners' Societv. That sec- ! tion has benefits peculiar to itself, and to gain admittance to this section a, man has to go through a different' formula altogether to other sections of • the union,.which were formed almost purely for trade purposes. The iiameß trade section and New Zealand trade section. Bpeak for ..themselves, so' that ' for a mail to join the ordinary sectiondoes so knowing he is governed by a rule-book which_ is registered in New Zealand, and which applies as far aB the Arbitration Act will allow.. How dif-. ferent it.sounds.to what "Excluded"'' would give ono to understand.' Takenfrom .tho. rule-book, which applies all' over the world, a separate rule-book is> printed and 'registered toi meet the'; re-' quirements of New Zealand, and also to take" advantage. of any benefits the' Arbitration Court can give ns, so that in all sections of our union we can sua for arrears by the power given. As for the heavy does which our friend says is ; tho cause of a man. being excluded, surely ho ought to know when he joins : whether he can afford 2s. Bd. or 6d. per' week contributions. "Excluded" does not put it that. way. The harsh union catches hold of the poor worker by 1 whichever part is convenient, 'and forces him to do something against his' will. A poor outlook for the worker in' any country; Our friend asks me if I think anyone would come along and ask"' a favour of the union. My only answer is, a man is a fool if he does not claim for what he pays, not.as a penalty, but'! toward a definite- object to look after' : the workers' interest; and to get benefits he would never receive. if it was not for trade unionism.

* 'Excluded" onght to know enough ■ : about' tho award he works under to ' knowthat the Now Zealand trade sec - tion is a section made by law to suit': New Zealand ; workers to be admitted at 6d. per week without ballot • and as there is only one society registered iu' Wellington, naturally all. the, provisions of the award come under that society. 'In conclusion,'-1 should like to point ' out tliat if all workers attended to their own affairs by taking an interest in tho various movements, there would not be. this bickering arid bad feeling, but that: - employer and emplojco would work' 'jljpre harmoniously together. '' ' 1 Thanking you 'for the space in your paper.—l am, etc., / C. G. AUGER, Chairman Management Committee Cap.'. penters' and Joiners' Society. . Devon Street,' August. 6. '•