INDUSTRIAL UNREST.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1845, 3 September 1913, Page 8

INDUSTRIAL UNREST.

1 1 A BAD YEAR FOR STRIKERS. i HEAVY WAGES LOSSES. - ' CONFIDENCE IN THE ACT INCREASING. I l How far New Zealand has relapsed I from its boasted reputation of "Tho County Without Strikes" is shown in the report of tho Labour Department, presented to Parliament yesterday. ; Tho Secretary of Labour points out that no fewer than thirty-five strikes j occurred. Tho major portions were of a minor nature, but three disputes ; were, of some magnitude—namely, thoso affecting the Waihi goldminers, the lleefton goldminers, and the slaughtermen. Tho first-mentioned was one of the most' serious industrial disturbances in tho history of.New Zealand, and was remarkablo for tho fact that the dis- . puto lay not between employers and their workers, but between two bodies I of workers. The most regrottablo fea- . ture was that thero was much rioting ! and disorder, which ended in the death ; of 0110 of the participants. Tho Recf- ' ton dispute is classed as next in import- ' anco to the Waihi trouble, tho industry ; affected boing at a standstill for a [ period of six months. | Strikes—Number and Cost. An interesting summary is given in tho . report of.the strikes in New Zealand • since the inception of the Industrial . Conciliation and Arbitration Act (1894) i to March 31, 1913. Tho number of [ strikes,coining within the scope of tho Act is thirty-five, whilst the number ■ outside tho Act is sixty-three, a total i of ninety-eight. Of this total fortyi three are classed as trivial or unimporti ant. Tho men were succcssful in win- ■ ning 25; employers, 42; whilst 28 cases [ were compromised. Tho average duration of all strikes (trivial cases not included) was twenty-three days. Tho . total number of strikers (excluding tri- ! vial cases) was 3686, and tho total numt her of men rendered idle by strikes was i 8380. The loss in wages to workmen concerned totals £283,206, and the approximate loss to employers £160,414. Strikers have been fined a total of £1917; tho amount collcctcd to date equals £1532. or 80 per cent, of the total fines inflicted. Increase in Registration. In regard to the registration of industrial unions and associations, fortysix now unions wero registered during tho year. Tho membership of tho unions so registered totalled 4091 at tho time of registration. Tho lium'ber of employers' unions showed a marked increase, twenty-one being registered witli 386 members. In all, twelve workers' unions and ono association of workers' unions voluntarily cancelled registration. The number of employers' unions now registered totals 123, with a membership of 4410, an increaso of 5 unions and 159 members. The total number of workers' unions is 322, with a membership of 60,622, an ihcrcasD of fifteen unions, and a very substantial gain of 4993 members. In his as Registrar, Sir. Lomas points out that this result contrasts with tho record of tho previous year, when a decrease in the membership of workers' unions was shown, totalling 1462, caused mainly by tho cancellation of several large unions, ostensibly for the purposo of joining a body, opposed to tho principlos of the Act. The increase in membership of workers' unions is ono of the largest recorded since 1907, and indicates, in Mr. Loinas's opinion, a renewed faith in tho Act by a very la,rgo body of workers.