THE PUBLIC SERVICE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2394, 25 February 1915, Page 9

THE PUBLIC SERVICE

AS A TRADE UNION. "The Public Service Association of New South Wales held a'ballot of its members on January 16 last, to ascertain whether they wished to become a registered trade union, with the object of applying for registration under the Industrial Arbitration Act. , It .has (says the "Public Service Journal") been reported that the majority of those who voted have decided in favour of registration, 1 Prior to the taking of the ballot a mass meeting of Public Servants was held arid the pros and cons of the case were fully discussed; There was also a considerable correspondence through the columns of the Service journal, in fact the matter was thoroughly ventilated before the final test of the ballot-box was applied. It is possible that at some future time a similar position may a?ise in this Dot minion."

The. article then proceeds to quote arguments in favour of a Public Service Trade Union, and concludes by paying: "At the'beginning of the movement a great many different objections wcro raised, which were met and disposed of, until finally there only remained two of sufficient importance to. need serious attention. The first was the belief, arising out of. a want of proper knowledge, that registration necessitated affiliation with Trades Hall, the' political organisation of the Trades Unions. In reply to this it was pointed out that the association could not be attached to a political body without the consent of a majority of members expressed by means of a ballot. The romaining objection, that the Service would suffer loss <SP dignity in the eyes of the public, might possibly be regarded as sontimental, and originated mainly in the minds of members of the professional division. It is, of course, quite competent for a man or body of men to elect to forgo substantial benefits in the preservation of an idea, hut the struggle for existence in this materialistic ago is too keen to allow of such a luxury, and it may be said, but it" is nevertheless true, that sentiment will not pass as currency. "After a careful study of tlio question, and giving full weight to any possible disabilities, wo are inclined to tho opinion that the public servants of Now Bouth Wales huvo -mado a wise decision."