OWNERS AMD MEN.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1334, 11 January 1912, Page 4

OWNERS AMD MEN.

« CARUO HANDLING. IMPORTANT CONGRESS OPENSGREAT THINGS IN TRA\N. MEN TIRED OF ARBITRATION. Tho conference of waterside workers and their employers, which opened in Wellington yesterday, is likely to mark a notable period in New Zealand Labour movements. If the efforts of the New Zealand Federation of Labour, which has beeu largely instrumental in convening tho conference, are successful, nearly (he whole of tho waterside workers of* the Dominion will to all intents and purposes bo removed, at a stroke, from tho control of tho Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act. For the awards, pains and penalties of this muchamended and much-discussed enactment, tbo Federation proposes to substitute a purely privato agreement between masters and. men; Should a lasting agreement of this nature actually result from the conference, thi? somewhat battered reputation of tho Arbitration Act will be further damaged. It is not yet certain, however, that events at the conference will flow smoothly to an amioablo agreement. Labour representatives, as will be seen from interviews printed below, are optimistic in this matter, but tho employers' delegates arc more reticent. Mr. C. Holdsworth, general of the Union Steam Ship Company, on being interviewed last evening, stated that it would be premature to express an opinion as to the probablo outcome of the conference. / Naturally a good deal hinges upon the power wielded by the Federation, and particularly upon tho spirit and the degreo of unanimity with which the watersiders have enrolled under its banner. The Federation officials declare that the organisation of tbo watorsiders is 6ound. There are others, however, who hold a contrary view. One member of tho local Watersidcrs' Union—a man who has an, acquaintance both extended and intimate with his co-workers—declared yesterday that if the federation "called out" tho Wellington watersiders to-morrow, a big majority of the men would doelino to obey tho call. This, of course, is inoro or less a matter of speculation, but it ie interesting to note that tho only waterunion at any of tho principal ' ports which has as yet cancelled its registration is that at Lrttelton. THOSE ATTENDING, AND THE PKOGRESS TO-DATE. Thus far the proceedings of tho conference havo been brief. The parties conferred together for about <m hour yesterday afternoon, the employers' delegates having previously held a conference on tboir own account in the forenoon. Tho conference sat in strict camera, but Labour representatives indicated last evening that the deliberations had been satisfactory, so far as they had gone. From another source it was gathered that only preliminary business was transacted. The conference will resume to(lny at 10 a.m. . ' • ~„ Following" is'~a list of the. employers' delegates, the companies they represent l»eing shown in parentheses :—Messrs. C. Holdsworth, general manager, K. A. Aiken, assistant general manager, W. A. Keimfdy, Wellington manner, mid Captain Watkins, marine superintendent, LytteltoE (.Union bu-um 0.>.,. *.„.,, D. Ryan (Auckland Shipowners' Federation); Mr. C. W. Jones, Wellington manager (Huddart Parker Co.); Captain M'Dougall, marine superintendent, Lyttelton (Shaw, Savill and Albion Co.); Mr. W. E. Fuller (Levin and Co.); Mr. H. Nathan (Tyscr Co.); Mr. A. W. Bennett, Christchurch (New Zealand Shipping Co.); Mr. Gillospio (Tyneside Colliery Co.); Captains W. J. Rodgers and F. A. Hutchinson and Mr. A. M'Kellar (Blackball Coal Co); Mr. G. H. Scales, Wellington; Mr. W. A. Fkvcll, manager (Westport Coal Company); Messrs H. K Nicliolls and T. Wcston (Wellington Harbour Board); Mr. T. D. Young (J. Mill and Co., Timaru); Mr. J. Garrard (J. Kinsey and Co., Lyttclton); Mr. W. Rogers (Anchor Shipping Company): Mr. W. Wallis (New Zealand and African Company); Mr. A. St. Clair Whvto (Doering and Co., Ltd., Auckland); Mr. J. Mill (John Mill and Co., Port Chalmers) j Mr. J. Deck (Aorcro Shipping Company); Mr. C. Jl'Arthur (Maoriland Steam Ship Con), t.any); Mr. A. A. Thompson (Karamea Shipping Company); Mr. F. Gale (Johnston and Co.); Mr. E. SJohrab (Wellington Harbour Ferries Company); Mr. R. C. Keiiner (Palca Shipping Company). Mr. l'ilchor (Tynoside Proprietory). The employees' delegates arc: Messrs. W. Hvde, P. Green, H. Wallis L. Glover.' G. G.'Farland, andG. Bruce (Wellington); Messrs. T. Canham and J. Boardmnn (Auckland); Messrs.-H. Voyce, C. Agar, and V. Lurclt(Lyttclton); Messrs. W. Morris and R. Millar (Dunedin); Messrs. J. Lsimont and W. Woodward (\Y estport) •„ Mr. G. Smith (Patea); Messrs. G. Bowen and A. Glover (Nelson); Messrs. U, Gould and G. Carlo (Timaru). The New Zealand Federation of Labour is represented by Messrs. P. Webb (president) and R. Semplc (organiser). No delegates havo rome from Napier, New Plymouth, or Greymouth. OPTIMISTIC UNIONIST. ARBITRATION ACT CONDEMNED. In reference to a press message stating that the Dunedin Wharf Labourers' Union and tho Ciiristchurch General Labourers Union had joined tho Federation of Labour Mr. G. G. Farland stated that it was known that several other unions intended shortly to follow suit. Ho added that he did not doubt that the conference would be enabled to arrive amicablv at an agreement, covering work, at most of the Dominion ports, which would be lew likely to load to strikes than au arbitration award. The men having met their employers in conference—without the intervention of an arbitration Court Judse who could not understand the technical peculiarities of an industry—were more likely to abide by an agreement which they liad boon instrumental in framing than by an award of the Court. Labour delegates to tho conference who were'appointed yesterday were to a man frank and free in their condemnation of t.he -Vrbitration Act, and in expressing a de=iro to bo freed from its trammels. of tho employers' representatives arc nioro reticent, but the fact that nearly all the Dominion shipping firms and a great many of the firniK other than shipping companies, which have, a direct interest in waterside work, hnvesent delegates to confer upon the subject of an industrial agreement, with tho members of a Federation openiv opposed to the Arbitration Act, is in itself significant. One employers' representative who was approached yesterday indicated that probably tbo employers would advance a proposal to refer tho matters in dispute to the Arbitration Court. He did <iot say however that the proi>osal would necessarily be insisted upon or that its rejection wxmld put an ond to negotiations. Another delegate, representing a firm which has large shipping and walersido interests, pointed to the disabilities under which employees labour under (ho working of tho Act. Employers, ho remarked, could readily be penalised for any breach, but to penalise waterside workers, say for refiHng work, was practically impossible. The men were casuals, intermittently employed. Even though an award "existed; there was nothing to prevent them refusing work unless they wcro given increased wngos. To n. suggestion that a general refusal of \toTK by members of a union left it open to an employer to call in non-

unionists the delegato rpplied bricfly t ''there aren't any." OUT FOR PEACE. THE FEDERATION'S ORGANISER. Mr. I{. Semple, organiser of tho Xow> Zealand Federation of Labour, when he was asked last evening tio say something about the aims and hopes of tho Federation, as an organisation opposed; to the Arbitration Act, at ence declared that the members of the.Federation wore not out for industrial strife. "Wo believe," ho said, "that the host method of settling these disputes is by an open conference round a table. Employers understand their businesses, and the workers understand t heir grievances. Discussing matters in a friendly and open spirit ends, in nine cases out" of ten, in an amicable settk'inciil. In tho past we have succeeded in most of our cHoiis. In the coal mining industry nearly all the 1110 a are working under agreements of this kind, and in not a single coal-mine has any hitch occurred since thesa agreements were made. I defy' tho management of any coal-mine in New Zealand to say that wo ever proved disloyal to an agreement arrived at round a table, and signed by us." Mr. Semple then enumerated tho Dcnnist 011, ilillerton, Stockton, Blackball, Hikurangi, and State coal mines, as aiSougst those at which work was prooceding in au entirely satisfactory way under agreements arrived at in tho manner lie had described. "At Wailii, tho greatest gold mine in the Southern Hemisphere," ho continued, "the men and employers have dono tho same. Tho rank and file are quite satisfied with an agreement of. this kind because they know that it has boon made by practical men, and not pushed down their throats by a man who is not altogether conversant with tho conditions under which they work. "Wo take the view that it is impossible •or any one man to'have a full knowledge of the technicalities of any and every industry. 'Wo quite think that, before many (lavs, an amicable agreement will be arrived at here. Wo are trying to get a national agreement which will do away with a t lot of sectional agreomont.% and which will operate in the interests of tho unions, of the general community, and of the companies. . "We are hero for industrial peace," said the federation organiser, "and not for industrial trouble. Our last resort ia a strike. AVe reserve the right to strike, but hojw never to have to use it.' Mr. bemple went on to remark that at the preliminary conferenco, held in Dunodin. everything pointed to an aniicablo settlement being arrived at. The same remark applied to the conferenco now sitting ia Wellington. Mr. Semple brushed aside a suggestion that the fact of the Federation including, in its affiliation a number of unions which are registered under the Arbitration Act might obstruct, negotiations with tho em- • ployers. \ All the unions, ho .buoyantly declared, were on the way to free themselves from tho operation of tlio Act, and he-added that in his opinion, it would bo unwise of tho employers now assembled in Wellington to try to force men to remain under a law with which they absolutely I disagreed. To do so would only lead to industrial trouble. It had been proved that law and government, to be successful, must possess the approval of the governed. SECRET BALLOT. HOW DID THE VOTING GO? Moro than a month ago the members of the Wellington Wharf Labourers' Union voted upon a proposal to cancel tho registration of that organisation under the Conciliation and Arbitration Act. The result of tho ballot has not yet been made public. ' The only information given out by the officers of tho union was that tho votingpapers had been counted and scaled up and that the result of the ballot waa known only to a few officials. Naturally the announcement of tho result has been awaited with interest for it was generally held that cancellation by the union of its registration would be tho natural sequel to its action in affiliating 'with the .■•Federation • of Labour. Yesterday an unofficial member of tho Wharf Labourers' Union'supplied an explanation of the reticence that has been observed. ' H6 stated ! positively that ..tho result of tile • ballot had been-tcr niofcat tho cancellation proposal. Sir. G. .G. Farland, secretary of the Wharf Labourers' Union, was interviewed later in tho 'day. He stated that, as a matter of fact, tho result of tho ballot showed that an-'overwhelming-ninjorit}; of votes wore cast in favour of: cancellation. Ho w : ont on to state that the watersidera are firmly determined not to. have anything more to do with tho Arbitration Act. • ,) "As for tho Arbitration Act ever binding the men to accept work which they do not want," said Mr. Farland, "the Act is powerless in this direction. The work is casual and tho men aro perfectly freo without breaking the law in any way to refuse engagements." Mr. Farland declared it impossible that anyone in authority should have made the statement that tlio ballot of his union had failed to carry cancellation, because tho union had instructed its responsiblo officers, to whom only tho result of the ballot was known, to keep that result a ■secret. It is important to note that, under the provisions of tho Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, the Registrar of Industrial Unions, prior to cancelling the registration of any union, must be satisfied that the cancellation is desired by a majority of the members of tho union, Mr. Farland's statement that "an overwhelming majority of votes wore cast in favour of cancellation" does not, of necessity, mean that the proposal was carried. As" a matter of fact, ho decliued to say whether a majority of the members of the union had voted in favour of cancel* lation, and this alono would niako tho vote effective. The. actual position is believed to bs that a majority of the men now working on the Wellington wharves arc, as stated by their secretary, in favour of scverjni; tfieir connection with the Arbitration Court, but that it may nevertheless bo a matter of great difficulty to get an effective voto in favour of cancellation. Casual labour on tho wharves is largely supplied by tho members'of a. shifting population. Frequently the men go away without leaving any address, and to get a block vote of the union's members is difficult.