£40 TO JOIN A UNION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1211, 21 August 1911, Page 3

£40 TO JOIN A UNION.

It is easier for a rich man to srincezo through the cyo of a. needle than W a hard-working man to join some of the unions Tms statement (says the Sidney telegraph') was made by a prominent Labour leader'at tho time of the coal strike and had particular referenco to the Wharf Labourers' Union which arbitrarily closes its doors at intervals to all applicants for admission. 'ihe Coal Lumpers' Union also adopts on occasions tho same means of restricting the number of men available in its particular industry. But tho Journeymen Felt Hatters' Union havo other means of makiii" their union a.close corporation. The secretary of tho union told the Labour Commission that, tho rate of wages-in-the trade ranged from ,C 2 10s. per week to .i's per week, and in the, sumo breath admitted that oversea hatters could not .ioin the union unless they paid an entrance fee of 20 guineas. But such men cy.ll _ regard themselves as having been graciously treated, because the union secretary admitted that'six young men were compelled to pay £10 each in weekly instalments of -l'l before they could get into tho union. In the case of these six men. however, the heavy entrance fee was of tho nature of a fine imposed by the union because the applicants had been half-rate workers.

Woods' Great Peppermint Cwe, tot Ccushs and Colas, never fuls, li 6i.\