THE RIGHT TO STRIKE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1905, 13 November 1913, Page 10

THE RIGHT TO STRIKE.

(To the Editor.) Sir; —It is often said that a worker has the right to cease'work, and that a workers' union has tho right, to striko. It is time that, subject to any contract, the individual has a legal right to give up work, but he may not always have a moral right. Ho has no right to become a burden upon the community. Tho law recognises; this, and he is liable to 'be punished if he has no visible means of support. It is also clear that a worker m a responsible position has not a moral right to throw up his work, when, by so doing, he would cause serious loss, and would be the means of throwing other mon out of work. In tho case of individual workers, the giving up of work may have such a trifling effect upon the community that the law need not interfere. As soon. However, as ±no worK^

ers in any trade combino to form a union, and ospocially when unions throughout the country act in sympathy and practically form a federation, then tho wholo community suffers inconvenience and loss when a strike is declared. In a civilised land tho division of labour becomes more and more pronounced. •' The community is really the employer in every branch of trade, and has the moral right, and should have the legal right, to ensure that tho work entrusted to any particular trado is carried out. It is time it was recognised that neither unions nor federations of unions have a right to strike, and that tho law should bo brought up to date, not indeed for tho purpose of destroying a right, but roaliy for tho prevention of wrong-doing uiid tho consequent loss and inconvenienco inflicted upon the public. That there is strength in union is proved by tho multitudes of societies or unions for the promotion of religion, philanthropy, education) and amusement. None of these, however, resort to physical force or compulsion of any kind. It is voiy difficult to help men who do not try to help themselves, so that tho formation of trado unions has been of great service to the workers. The unions havo always had the sympathy of the public in tlieir endeavours to secure reasonable hours and pay. Indeed thero ia a strong tendency in every case to assume that tho workers are in the right and the employers are in the wrong, and sympathy is therefore _ sometimes ■ misplaced. All other societies or unions recognise that they must attain_ their ends, not by violence, and intimidation, and injury to the public, but by persuasion, and by methods known as constitutional. Trade unions alone have had little conception of the real strength of union, and, they have therefore resorted to strikes and threats of strikes, accompanied with intimidation. They havo usually dono their utmost to prevent men willing to work from doing so. Where unions have power, there is no liberty for workers, whether they aro outside a union or in it. Alcu, oncu in the union, become tho slaves of the union, or rather of its Executive, and can never withdraw without being persecuted and deprived of their living. To put an end to the loss through a strike, employers have, sometimes, committed the suicidal folly of giving preference to union men, and thus giving away their only means of defence. In these days of combined unions, and of sympathetic strikes, the public is just beginning to see that a strike is no longer merely a fight with some employers, but is an attack upon the whole community.

Unions must learn to strive for their objects, not by means of violence, intimidation and persecution, but by reasonable and peaceful methods. As strikes aro unreasonable, and arc attacks upon the community, they must bp forbidden by law. Although the law could not punish every striker, it could easily punish tho strike officials and leaders, arid could recover ponalalties and damages from tho funds of the union.

The law should ensure that every man who can get work should be protected in doing it. Every strike should be made _ illegal, and treated as a crime against the public. The officials of every striking union should be punished) and the funds be subject to attachment.—l am, etc., W.H.