WHARF WORKERS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2206, 20 July 1914, Page 6

WHARF WORKERS

• , -9 : • '.\ilso. RULES & REGULATIONS J;vr.'_-*.-';;'?■■ .imAsiici ■"; : '■> ' •Proposals affectmg wharf labour hare ■.■','-' been drawn up ,by the Rules; Revising . :■:. Committee of the Wellington Wharf La- . v . bourers' Union,' and these, will be sub- '. flitted 'to a general meeting of ■■the. • iinion which will be held in Sydnoy : xStrcet "this evening. The ".proposals have been considered by the .-•< executive of the iihion, and in several ~_ instances the, officials oppose'them.. '■■_■ ;..:, Following "are a few particulars con- ; terning the-new rules:—'-. ■:'■_' ■■'. r The;.first recommendation' is that the •'■:■•■ union shall bo called; the Wellington ■: ; iWatersido. Workers' Industrial Union of , /'(Workers. ■ This was itho ■.title of, the V old union; and is-not. favoured ByVtho ':.-.' -executive, which disapproves :of altef- ' n ing the 'present name—Wellington ','Wharf Labourers' IndustriarUnion. of. (Workers. '■;'■ '•:■ '■-,'."; .'^r^;'./'' .:':.' . Clauses 2 and' 3, dealing.respectively . with the objects and registered office of ■ the union, are practically, the same, as . : 'at/present, and haviibeen agreed to :■■" by .the executive; In Clauso 4 the committee seeks, to' make it .possible; 1 for ■''■: only : bona'.fide waterside workers'-.over twenty-one. years of ago' to;. join tho :.; .union, but this section of'the;clauso_ is .•■■' objected to by the executive'/which; ;"■•. insists, that any .waterside.worker -who ■adheres "to the principles of the.Arbii tration Act shall'be. entitled to join. • ; Clause 5, oai sb; and 6j -dealing with. ■'.'' retirement from' membership, •'. clearance . "certificates, provisions ''applying to' sick, '-; members, '.have been: agreed ;,to' by the "'' ieSeciitive. : r-.|-'!'-"'':'V- : ■"■"■; .'-.'•• ?".■ ';'■'<! ■'"" Clauso7, .relating;--to'. tho f p6wers.'of tho executive, differs very materially from thb'prcsent.dause. It proposes to ' alter the constitution, and reads: "The exocutiye-shall consist of president, vice- :'', president,, treasurer, secretary,'and. as-. ■.'. sistaiit': secretary,.', and -three delegates ' from each department: Such- executive , ■■ shall act as an Advisory Committee' for • : .the. union: ';All ■recommendations of the ''•■■ Executive Committee'shall be dealt with ■' by tlie. members : :.of,;the'. 'union' at tho :' .ordinary; .general, •or: special meetings -for approval or 'otherwise." The pre-.-.'■■'sent rule: gives .the'-power.-of govern-' .■ 'merit to'an executive-consisting -of ; a ; vice-president; treasurer, and •' secretary, / and: fivo other.' members of : tlie.union'(foxir, to forni a quorum), and ■~; '-the executive'proposes, that ;this. rule • ' -shall stand."; '■. : '.- ; \-.- ■•- :■ Recommendations 8 (duties of officers), /9 (duties.of• vice-president),lo.(duties : ' 1 of 'secretary)','. 11 (duties of actiiig-secre- ■"'... tary), /and,-12;. s (duties:.bf.auditor),..have■ ■\: been passed by theexecutive.,' ,V ;,-. •■■■< Clausel3 irecommends. that three..' (in-\«teadi;bt,tw6),..iru3tees-shall:be appoint- '. ed. annually,'jand.,:hp., trustee' shall .act ,ri.S auditor; or.a member of 'the, Executive / Gouncil.-.''.The-executivedoes not favour ! :.the .new; rule,, andc.desires,to .retain tho, ','present':one. I :\% ~'• .';■■■• •'■ '■■ -'Clause 14 isVobjected to.by.the executive.::!lt';reads:. ."Any "officer,: of. the ■union may be 7 removed from office .Dyuie, ;.■ yote^of special meeting 1 called, for that ■ .'purpose. The present rule (whi'A . th-.. ■ r executivedoes-Vot-'wish'to Be. altered) ' ' "provides that, the vote at-the meeting : so called.'sliall be, taken by "ballot and ' : fliJays- notice' in Writing" of .the inten-. ition to; move for. the removal; of any ;of .'.the, executive;..shall,: be' given 'by. the; " slßecretary to'all "iii'em'liers.bf the.uhion.' ■' Tlie ;clause.',,, ,dealing ,' with '■;'fcasnaT vacancies,.;.is.approved;.by the ■'..' executive. :.•■••;>.'"^y;....,•. i-;. v -'.. •. • • > Clause 16 recommends, that. an};.nnan'cial member shall be allowed to. inspect >,' Ijth'o, union's, books' 'lipoii; giving :twentyfour hours' - notice;'-'but -the - executive ■A suggests tliat ; f6fty-eighVhours'< notice; -'should bo .given.''';:'.:. 17 and 18 (dealiag.with-the "... kealof.the union and'the month of the: annual'general: meeting),", are. approved. Section b of Clause 18: recommends that v . any 1 member-sighing a requisition .for a' special meeting: and failing, to attend, V 'shall"be 'fined 2s.;6d;,'bnt'the' executive,; : .while agreeing ,to, tljg principle, asks • ,fjiat''the;..fine.be, £1 instead 1 of' the ; . 'smaller amount.''"' Section ; c-.'of the.same ... recommends ', that gehbral. 'meet- .', iirigs: of: the. unionj'shali.'he,-held once a •.-'•■ month, but once, every tli'reo months is favoured 'by the, executive. • % Several: other' recommendations deal- ■:■:■ 'ing with f tlie standing • orders,'quorums, : classification, etc., are for the most part approved by the executive. Clauso £6: (there are: thirty, clauses. in all), which is among those' -approved by the executive, is - as follows:—"No strikes ; shall take place- without first complying ij>ith the"lndustrial Conciliation and Ar- '"' ~bitration Act and amendments of 1913."