AN ARBITRATION WORKER'S DILEMMA

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2148, 14 May 1914, Page 3

AN ARBITRATION WORKER'S DILEMMA

A ..: . . ■ I The plight of a carpenter, who, in ! slflok times, had accented work npan tiie wharf (luring the strike, "to keep lite, pot, boiling," and was bliwcted to b.v his fellow-workmen on gcttiiic; efflfitoynwut as s carpenter on a job in Culm Street, was retorikjl m * ttoesc columns a cmlplc of weeks ago. As the result, of the men's objection the foredismissed tJso man in question, stating that Iffi had to choose between doing _ so or suffering a hold-up threu<rii a strike. The same man is acain 'in hxrabte. Ho secured work <an"Saturday last on a job in Old Customhouse Quay, ;mc.t worked that forenoon. Monday was a wet day, aiul there was nothing tiding. Oh Tuesday; owinir to the rain, work did not begin until i 0.15 a.m. Nfifc long afterwards he saw Mr. Blatlmnvick (the secretary af the Carpenters' Uuiatt), and us. a result of his conversation lie d-ecittod to pay \\\i his the uninn. He arriwd at the secretary's offiee at 11 a.m., paid up £1 Bs. art-cars, ss. entrance fee for rejoining the union, 2s. subscription, and 3d. for a book of rules—£l I'Ss. sd. in a)!. He then went homo to hnich. At 12.48 p.m. hn returned to work, aisd was iold by the foreman that he would haw to leave, and liavini; no optlan but to do so, was paid off, after having worked hours. The man referred to states that though, ho has complied with wctj , ntic and regulation oE the union ho is a marked man through haying worked on the wharf during t!i'i> strike, and was being jeered and gibed at by the oth«r men with such j-ewarks a.-,, "What's the matter with the wharf?" The foreman of the, wwk said Uiat the principal reason for th« timi 1 * dismissal was unsatisfactory woi-.km.M-: ship. He had breu tried and feitud wanting. Sir. Blathonyiek (the union secretary) said that his ottly cencerti was to see- that members were financial". He batl no desire to bo drawn into the j sqii.abble. I Tte complainant ou his part says I that he is as competent as , any trades- ! man in WeMtngtan, and is sure that his i dismissal was not. ou aceotrot of any I ranissness mi that seoi'c.