WATERSIDERS' COMPLAINTS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2180, 19 June 1914, Page 8

WATERSIDERS' COMPLAINTS

Mr. J. T. Radcliffe,-president of the Waterside Workers' Union, writes as follows:— '. "My attention has been drawn to a. paragraph under thp'above-, heading, which appeared in tho Press on trie 12th instant, unobserved by me. It ominated from Mr. E H. Dodds, secretary of the Complaints Committeo, who informed a Press representative that a statement previously made'by mo; that I knew.of .preference' members of the■ union who had complaints to make of their treatment, but who did not know Where to lodgo them,' was.: absurd. I again assort' that complaints are- still very rife'and numbers' of complainants como to mo with their grievances, but as the union decided, owing to the treatment received'by them from tho Complaints Committee to leave'the-affairs of the preference men to the employers, I could not assist them. My contention is that Mr. Dodds is paid for-looking after the interests of 'the preference' men, hilt whether ho sits, in. his office 1 for tho complaints, to coino to him or visits the wharf where the men are engaged, I know not. ■ "There is no 'uso' trying'-to. cloud the issue, if Mr. Ilodds requires. the men who have a grievance to go to his office and lodge their complaints, why, in the name of all that's good, doesn't ho say so,' and notify the men to that effect.

"Since the 'union executive ceased to ho used as a cat's-paw by the employers or Hi go-between without recognition, tlio men do .not know who to approach. When the men como to mo with tlmir grievances. I tell thorn, as president of tlio union, I cannot assist thorn, as I represent tlio whole union of workers, and not any class or seclion. Tliat their grievance's can only be remedied by the employers, who had entered into an ' agreement with them, to give them priority of work. They must therefore look to the employer* for redress and not to the union."