UNAUTHORISED STRIKES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 185, 1 May 1919, Page 5

UNAUTHORISED STRIKES

: TRADE UNION MANIFESTO TO THE . WORKERS APPEAL FOR DISCIPLINE The following manifesto-was issued recently by thn Parliamentary Committee of Hie British Trade Union Congress to its affiliated societies:— "To the Officials and Members of Affiliated Societies. "Gentlemen.—ln view of the industrial unrest prevailing in certain parts of the country, due in some instances to atempts by well-established and constitutional procedure, the Trade. Union Confiiess Parliamentary Committee deem it necessary to circularise the officials and members of the organisations concerned in order that the hands of the. responsible leaders of the trado union movement may be strengthened and the unions' actions governed in an orderly and jPTukr manner. "With regard to the dispute in the engineering and shipbuilding trades' in connection vjth the'47-hour .working week, the /facts appear to be clear and distinct. ■As the result of conferences held in November last, attended by accredited ami .responsible , officials of employers and employed, a provisional agreement was arrived at whereby tho working hours were to be reduced to 47. hours per week without reduction in wages. . . . ' . Agreement Ignored, ■ "The memorandum of agreement was duly signed by .both , parties, and upon being submitted to a ballot vote of the members of the unions concerned was endorsed by a majority of 177,1-12, the figures as Riven'in the report being—in favour of acceptance, 337,029; against acceptance, 159,887. ' "It cannot therefore be urged that the rank and file'had not-been consulted. Despite the confirmation of the agreement secured by tho • men's representatives a dispute almost immediately arose, quo suction of tho members demanding a 44hour, another a 40-hour working Mveek. Presumably both propositions had been discussed before the men's leaders went into conference with the employers, but, inasmuch as tho 47-hour agreement, had been endorsed by the votes of the members, it became the boundeu duty of the minority to loyally abide by tho decision of the majority.

"Unless this course is taken a very serious blow will have been struck at the fundamental principle of trade union-is-ni—namely, collection bargaining. Under any , circumstances unauthorised strikes cannot and must not be tolerated, and it is the duty of-all who desire to see. the trade union movement strongthene dto see to it that tho union's action shall be governed and regularised .in agreement with its', constitution and rules.

"In another direction a strike has occurred which, whilst apparently timposing upon the- employer the minimum of pressure, lias undoubtedly inflicted upon the workers and the general public—whose opinion it would 'be unwise to disregard—the maximum of personal inconvenience, apart altogether from monetary, loss and in many cases probable- injury to health. In'this instance tho men's leaders had secured' for their members, an eight-hour working day. The main principle having been conceded, it is only reasonable ■ to assume 1, that if raised in ,the proper .spirit any minor points miuiring adjustment would have proved easy.of settlement. "But the position was accentuated by the fact that two strong unions, catoring for precisely the same class of worker, but not always working in friendly relationship,. were each endeavouring to secure a settlement satisfactory to its own . members,, although obviously any such settlement would- necessarily apply to the members of the other union. One Union Against Another. "In the opinion of the Parliamentary Committee,, rather than attempt to play off one union against another it would be far., better that tho representatives of should moot in friendly conference and endeavour to arrange a mutually satisfactory working agreement, thereby avoiding a recurrence of tho disagreeable incidents of the past few days. "With this object in viow the Parliamentary Committee place their services at the disposal of all affiliated organisations, 'believing it to be in the best interests of the respective, memberships that u friendly understanding should bo reached,, whereby joint and prompt action can bo taken in -all_ matters affeciinor the conditions of their common employment. "These disputes have occurred at a time when the machinery for dealing with questions affecting Labour was. never-so ample or so ready to hand or the disposition to settle so general and friendly. The neiyly-established Ministry of Labour/the joint Industrial Councils set up on lines recommended by tho' Whitley Report, and the Conciliation and Arbitration Boards being each and all at tho service of Labour.

"Quito apart from such machinery, '■'however, the Parliamentary Committee desire to urge that if the trado union movement is to progress anS. prosper it is ini the highest degree essential thnt .strict discipline within the membership nntst be maintained, and where necessary the machinery of responsible government must "be tightened "by the officials and executive bodies insisting that so long as they .retain the confidence of their members ffieir decisions must be implicitly carried out. ■ In any steps resnonsiblo officials may have to. take in that direction they will assuredly have the strong Ixickins- of the bulk of their members and of the trade union movement in -general—Yours faithfully,

"The Parliamentary Committee—G. It. ■Stnart Bunning (chairman), J. W. O,*den (vice-chairman), M. Bondfield, W. .T. Davis, H. Goslius, T. Greonall, J. Hill, A. Onions, E. L. Poulton, J. Sexton, R. Shirlcic, H. Ski'mer, S. H. Thomas. W. ThornoY I!. 11 Walker, J. B. Willitmis, J. 11. Wilson, Bowerman (secretary)."