FEDERATION'S TACTICS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1906, 14 November 1913, Page 8

FEDERATION'S TACTICS.

HOW A UNION WCAMB OUT,"

MEET-IMG DESCRIBED." BULLIED AND BROWBEATEN, An extraordinary story of the Way the. general strike was brought about in AnekWiid is told in a letter which tha "New Zealand Herald" publishes from a trades unionist: — "I am a trades unionist of 21 years' standing," ho -writes. "During' that time I have held every position in my union: President, secretary, treasurer, auditor, eominitteonian, and for some timo past ordinary member. In the early history of our union wo had some .tough lights, and soma trying times were experienced. Twice I liavo conducted the miion before the Arbitration Court, and e-neo been delegate to tho Conciliation Council. None knows'' more liiaji me the bitterness of some of the bosses at the early inception of trades unionism. For some years past our trade—a handicraft which took mo seven indentured yffiirs to learn—has been working undei awards of the Arbitration Court, and everything has gone very smoothly.- We have had gradual rises in j»a.y from £2 8-s. to our present wage .of £3 Is,, while hours have gone dawn from 48 to 45.

' As things wero going so smoothlv, about three years ago I had,-saved lip enough to plank down £80 as a deposit for a home, costing £,550. This I have been paying oft" by weekly instalments ever since at interest of 5 per cent. Now, I can just live, quite comfortably and keep my wife and three kiddies

iii contentment, and wanting reallv nothing necessary for the host in life on these wages and pay off my Usual instalment at the. same tirde. Nothing Bat Talk/of Strike, "Last week I received a notice from our union secretary that a special meeting had been called to consider tho strike. Now I know tho feeling of overs' outi of our chaps, most of whom are in exactly tho same position as mo—some huying houses on Government advanced money—and not a soul in tho union wanted anything to do with the. strike. However, t didn't want to 'renege,' so went to tho Trades Hall as summoned, When I got there tho air was on lire with strike crowd. It seemed : almost impossible not to become- contaminated in such an environment. Fighting speeches by strike advocates, commendation for tho strikers, and all tho worst possible epithets for anyone not willing and agreeing. In fact, the noise was so great and the coarsest so prominent that really anyone not agreeing had to keep it to himself. or breathe \ it in a faint whisper to his mate. I had 15 minutes to put fn before the meeting started, and during that time I saw three very narrow escapes from fights by fellows.,who just casually happened to mention that tlioy were not quite sure whether the strike was instilled. ' ' ■* . What was Told the Men. "Our meeting came on. We arc- not one of tho biggest unions, hut there was a good muster. The president— who, hy tho Way, is -not engaged in the trade —took the chair, and explained that a deputation of iho Federation -of iiabour was present, and desired to address tho meeting. Ho would move the roqnest . be granted, Carried. The Strike. Committee delegates salted in, and tiiudo short work of telling us how _tjasifitragslc was really against gcncralj

exploitation.' I seed not repeat the halfhour's remarks, about 'class struggles, sweating,' etc., ete., but, might just remark that the last speaker said that had not the striko taken place- when it did they had it on good authority that thebosses word arranging for a big leck-out at no distant date after tho Exhibition, and they retired assuring us that all the other unions- had unanimously placed themselves in the hands of the Strike Oomrflitteo.

| "Carrying" tire Resolution, l "After the retirement of these deie- | gates—who assured us they would wait ■ with interest and confidence, our decision—our president, arose, and in a neat speech said that. in face of what wo had heard and what was appearing in .the papers could We do anything but fall into lino? I somewhat timidly got up, and was about to suggest that wo weroas yet hardly concerned- to the extent of agreeing to-strike, when I was Promptly sat down by the interjection, 'nliafc oa-n wo do in tho faco of that mob outside, but agree,' Another remarked that: 'If wo refused to agica they had decided to cut off coal iirsfc, and then other supplies from our factories. Another stated that: "As-all tho other branches in our works must iKive agreed as stated by the- striko , A og „•' ,VG llad bctter » nt look dirty.' Alter this the president dmw from life pockeD a slip of paper coataining a series of resolutions conveying 'sympathy, 'moral awl financial support,' for freedom,' etc., which as no -hands were held up against, wo declared carried unanimously. The delegates and a few others were" an-ain brought in and lavished thanks, assured us of support in awy struggle in future, and invited us to hand over the resotutrans for publication—(they appeared in both papers next day)~~and requested v v. Wm m a P roc <« s Mn to tho wharf -JNcwtless to say, not ono of us went -20 yards in the procession. We took ears for home. "To-day wc h,av» been .called -Out, and J-ro oa strike. I can assure von, sir, that this is the true -statenreiit of- mv case, and I behe-ve it is a reflex of the position of thousands in Auckland today. As oho rosidt of our coming out the boss- has shut up three'other departments dependent on,us, and put off three carters-. AH. of course, to swell the ranks, and be claimed as strikers

Thousands Waiting to Work,

foear me live quite a number of tramway men, all of whom are buying 'houses like me. We have had lots- of evening talks lately, and in their hearts they have been prnyina that they will j°* £ «a-Hed out. But what can one in i , ? n>t * tand uciil S ealle d 'scab' ■and 'blackleg' by tho lowest people in tmyn \. Several of my neighbours and myself had a talk to-day, and if it wasnot for the dirt and stigma, of vile names wo would apply for j<jbs on tho wharf on Monday (yesterday), I am not sure that some of us will not, as wo are running a big risk of losing years' savings. My interest is duo at the end of this month, and unless I get wages somewhere I can't meet it, and I am not e'o ul «te -run the risk of fore-closure after three years', paying off. I believe, sir, that thousands are just waiting to see how the- cat jumps on tho wharf, ii lf „ sto -> m -P;s right you will seo them flock there hi search of Work. Wo must havo it with Christmas coming on -u .* rußt ' n g a better pen than mine wilt take this aip, and all Mr. to bring about a speedy, solution of this very serious difficulty,—l am, etc., ! 'SANE UNIONIST." '