SAILOR & HIS UNION.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1733, 25 April 1913, Page 6

SAILOR & HIS UNION.

.> HIS ATTEMPT TO JOIN, HOW HE FARED WITH MR. W. T. YOUNG. ALLEGATIONS IN COURT. Mutters of a most unusual nature and of some importance eame to light at the Magistrate's Court yesterday morning when Julius Hansen, a seaman, sued 'William Thomas Young, secretary of the Federated Seamen's Union, of Australasia, and the Union, claiming .£lO as damages. Hansen alleged that the defendants had (with the intention of preventing him $rom obtaining work) unlawfully refused to permit him to join the union.

Dr. A. M'Artlmr, S.M., wafe on tho Bench. Mr. A. Blair appeared for tho plaintiff, anil Mr. P. J. O'Eegan for the defendants.

Mr. Blair, in opening, remarked that the case was'both novel and important; it involved the right of a man to follow his avocation. It was- common for em/ployers to deny employment • to nonunionists and it was therefore of supreme importance that a man should be enabled to join a union provided, of course, that there was no valid objection to him. 111 the case- before the Court they had been unablo ■ to find out how the Seamen's Union was constituted, but, apparently, it was mainly Mr. ,W. T. Young. lie was the "boss," and to join the union, seemingly, it was necessary to find favour with him. When. Hansen made his application to join the union, Mr. Young, said: "You won't get employment as a seamali until you pay me .£5." Hansen happened to havo <£l and (quite wrongly) he offered that, for even that demand for .£1 was extortion. The agreement between the Seamen's Federation and the shipowners, contained a clause giving preference to unionists. That agreement was entered into in January, 1912, and membership in the union was to be open to men of good character. Moreover, the entrance fco to the union was not to be more than 325., and the subscription Is. per month during the currency of the agreement with the shipowners. There was a union at that, time, and Hansen paid his subscriptions. But, apuarently ' (according to Mr. Young) if a man was : once a member of a union he remained : ■forever a member. At most the arrears ■ claim could be for 12s. if the union did ' still exist. The union, however, did not ' •"nw esist, except in the person, of Mr. ' W. T. loung, who unfortunately did still : exist, ■ "Abusive Allegations." Mr. Blair made a remark about some ' postal notes which he stated that Mr. loung had received.. Mr. o'Re»an: Is counsel to make abusive allegations of this kind? i Dr. M'Artlmr: I presume that he proposes to substantiate them. . Mr. Blair: I will prove tlieni. 'Mr- oßegan: Yon can't do that. i Mr. Blair: I will prove them up to the 1 hilt. Wo sent to Mr. Young a registered 1 letter containing a postal note for IGs i 011 December 3 last. .. We havo not received any reply to that or a following letter. Mr. Young still sticks to ' the money. I don't think that there is any doubt what happened to the postal notes , Mr. 0 Regan: Why didn't you have him arrested for theft? , Mr. Blair: Oh, 110. .We are a member ] of the union now.

Mr. W. T. Young in the Box. Mr. Blair then called William Thomas loung, secretary of the. Wellington Lianeli of. tho/icderato.l Seamen's Union ol Auslrahsia. ■

n i f° a question, Tonne stated thattho union, was not registered .underlie Trades Union Act or undo: the Arbitration Acl'.._ 31 r. Blair; Aro there any rules for this union? Witness: Yes. Mr. Blair: Supposing that a man wishes to join the union, is he allowed to see the rules.~"fto; not till after he joins." Mr. Blair: rlicn he joins something fop doesn't know anything; about! , In reply to further questions, Yon™ stated that in July, 1012. Hansen had a sited him about joining the union, and he had Teplied that ho (Hansen) would have P a y up his arrears. Tho arrears were <£5 55., being; accumulations at the rate of Is; per month since February 28, 1901. "ITo was never a good member," said Mr. loung; "he never paid his'contribiitions leßulnrly. ' On December 5 witness received a registered letter from Hansen containing postal notes for IBs. The letter stated that Hansen desired to join the my on; that lie was an A.B. with a. "V.G:" discharge; and that he -would call and sign iiiiy declaration which tho union wanted him to.sign. Tin address of Jlau- . sen was given, and tho letter stated that tho 10s. was to cover 525. entrance fee and is. as one rao.ith's subscription.

Law 1o Prettint Boycotting. Mr. Blair interjected that he would get a la\\ parsed to prevent boycotting of nonmembers. Mr. o'Began; You haven't got it yet. Mr- Blair: It ought to be passed. Mr. Blair (to •wit.icss): Did you deign to reply to that letter from Hcnsen? Witness: The union did not reply. Mr.■■Blair: You still Jningr on to tho postal notes!—"l haven't spent them yet."

Sir. Blair: And you admit vou didn't deign to reply ?v-"N 0 t yet. 'He knew where the uiuo-i office was."

Mr. Blair: But why djdn't you reply?— "Simply bfcfctise he was known to be in negotiation with tho firm of Chapman, fkerrett, and Wylis. .-. . He was seen talking to a number of that firm." Mr. piiir (laughin j heartily): And that is enough to damn any man who wants to become a member of a union.

"Witness: Thare are people outside that firm who know a thing or two, vou know. Mr. Blair: And do you sav. Tinblusliingly that you have treated other men as you have treated Hansen?—"Yes, many of them." / .

Mr. Blair: You say that unblushinglv? —"Ye?, as liiiblusliingly as you ask me tho question." >

Mr. Blair: So, once you join a seamen's union you ara a member for ever? You can't get out?—" You can get out by simply writing a note giving three months' notice-"

In reply tn Mr. O'llegan, Young stated that Hnnsen joined the union in IAO 2, and tad never sinco resr'gned in compliance with the rules. When Hansen applied tn ro-join, witness pointed out to him that -he* was already a member, and could reRain his status as a member by paying 'his arrea-s. Hansen ' hud latterly- joined tho W!iarf Laboureis' Uniou, with .vhi-.-h he was fully paid up, and he iras told that if he produced a transfer fiom the Wharf Labourer.-/ Union, (lie 'Seamen's Uniou would give Jiim credit for tho amount (£2 1?.;, v.'hirh hp had paid into the Wharf Labourers' bodv.

How Hansen Was AffoctJd. Mr. O'Eegau: Does your refusal to admit him to the union affect him" as regards employment en-sailing vessels? Witness: It docs not affect him. Mr. O'llegan: How as regards ferry boats and tug boats in the harbour?—"Ho can get employment there without interference from .tho "union." Witness added that Hansen could get employment on Homo boats and river boats. Mr. O'llegan: Has it come to your knowledge that ho has not been ablo to obtain work on any intercolonial boat?— Witness: No. Mr. O'Eegau: What wages would a seaman such as Hansen is be able to earn under the agreement if he went to sea as a me'uiber of your union. Dr. M'Arthur: What has that got to do with itr. ' Mr. O'Kegan: It might affect the question of damages. Witness, replying to Mr. O'Eegan's question, said that from November 20, 1012, to February 8, 1913. Hansen would have earned about ,ElB IDs. Mr. Blair: The Act provided that when your union was registered you had lo send in a list of members to (lie Registrar. Did von send in a correct reluiu or a I'aUe one?—" 1 sent in a return ns required be law." Mr. JJUur: Did you scml iu Hauien's nauiof.

Witness replied in the negative, anil added that a man did not ceaso to bo a member of Hie union, although tho Act provided Hint tho union had to purgo its roll every six months.

Mr. Blair: It just happens that there is a decision of tho Supremo Court 011 that point, so (here won't be any difficulty ill regard to it. 111'., O'Regan: My case does not depend 011 that at all. The Sailor's Version of the Story. The plaintiff Hansen then went into (he witness-box. Mr. Blair: Your full name is Julius Hansen? Mr. O'Regau: Not Julius Caesar! Plaintiff: Julius Hansen. Hansen deposed that lie had not been aware that it was necessary to formally resign from the old union. "There was not any. resigning in tho old days," he said. "There was nothing about-it in tlie rules. Latterly 110 had worked ill Wellington as a wharf labourer. In the middle of last year he had wished to go to sea, but (as stated previously) was unable to gain entry to the Seamen's Union. The result had been to put him back a good deal. .£2 15s. to .£!) was a good average for wharf labouring. Ho tiad only made .£1 10s. to ,£1 15s. Dr. M'Artliur: What, only that on the wharves, in the summer? Witness: Well, in the summer the average might be .£3 10s. to .£■!. Mr. Blair: Has the fact that you arc not a' member of tho union affected you at all?—" Yes. I have lost lots of jobs." Mr. Blair: Havo you any chance of getting a job on a best while you are not a member of the union?—" Not on the coastal boats, anyhow." Mr. O'l'egan: You said that in tho summer months you could make Irom .£3 to .£3 10s. per week, and it was in tho summer time, you say, that you applied for a job 011 the Mokoia?—"Yes." Mr. O'Kegan: So you have not lost very much, then? Hansen said that on the Mokoia the seamen averaged _ ",£J2 per month and found." This included overtime. Mr. O'Regan: Is not that good money .1 result of the agreement between the union an' the companies?—" Yes." • The case was then adjourned till 10.30 this morning, wlien argument will be heard.