EMPLOYMENT BOOKS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1449, 25 May 1912, Page 6

EMPLOYMENT BOOKS.

Sir,—My attention has been drawn to some remarks of Mr. Collins, secretary Wellington Operative Bakers' Union, appearing in your issue of yesterday morning. " My statement "that if olio baker was laid up in Wellington, the broad supply would be affected," was challenged by Mr. Collins. I must freely admit that after inspecting tho bakers' employment book at the Government Labour Department this morning, I find that there are no fewer than six names contained therein as representing opcrativa bakers out- of em* ploymont in Wellington. There are what are known as two first hands and four sccond hands. Your article in yesterday's issue states that ono of your reporters was invited by Mr. Collins to inspect the union'B employment book, and that ho found it contained entries of tlw names of twelve members of the union who were out of employment. Seeing that only 6 appear in the employment book at tho Government Labour Office, I may then assume that tho other six represent the balance of unemployed bakers in tho Dominion!

May I bo allowed to trespass on your spaeo a little further? Concerning the employment books of uaions of workers: This morning I asked at tho office of tho Government Labour Department for tho engineers' employment book, and for tho carpenters' employment book. I received tho following reply: "We havo not Rot them hero." I asked why, and was. informed: "Oh, tho secretaries of those unions havo them at the Trades Hull. We have tho moulders' employment book here." I thanked tho courteous officer, but told him that it so happened that I wanted the two books asked for, and that the unions' awards provide that n book called tho employment book, in which tho names of workers out of employment appear shall be kept at the office of tho Government Labour Department."

Supposing now that en emplovcr called at Hie Labour Office nnd asked for mi employment book, which was not there. 110 cotsld engage any worker, cvoa though a non-unionist. The possibilities fire, however, that he (the emplorcr) would bo invited to pay a visit to the S.M. and though no conviction under the circumstances would-be recorded, the employer would hnro been put to inconvenience through los 3of time. May I suggest that union secretaries Bee to it that the employment books ate kept in their proper place?—l am, etc.,

H. F. ALLEN. Secretary' United Master Bakers' Asso. ciation of Employers.