SCIENTIFIC WORKERS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 271, 12 August 1919, Page 7

SCIENTIFIC WORKERS

A NEW DEVELOPMENT IN TRADE

UNIONISM

ROYAL SOCIETY MEMBERS

The National Union of Scientfic Workera is something new in tho history of professional organisation in Britain and of organised labour—tho term is used in its widest application—and it is, perhaps,., not too much to say that its appearance will help to strengthen tho intellectual fcasit of English trade, unionism; for on its roll arc thirty members of the Hoyal Society, three of them Gold Medallists, 6tatea tho "Westminster Gazette."

"Our union." said Mr. Sinkinson, tho'j secretary, in a-conversation with a "Westminster Gazette" representative, 'was | starred in the latter part of 1917 by a little band of scientific workers in Cambridge. Dr. Norman Campbell; Demonstrator in the Cavendish Laboratory, was one of the leaders of the'movement. The basic qualification of membership is a university science degree, or the examination qualifying for such diplomas as the council may prescribe. The objecta of the union are twofold; wo are concerned with the part to be played I,;' scienco in the national life, and wflh! j tho conditions of employment of scientific workers. The establishment by tho Government of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research opened the eyes of scientific workers to the need fo'r organisation. Since tho start wo have gone forward to the establishment of an employment bureau to advise workers on tho one hand and manufacturers 011 the other, to find suitable men to help them in the scientific conduct of their businesses. Only the other day I read of a firm that was persuaded to appoint a chemist, and shortly,afterwards one of the partners was asked how the arrangement was working. "Why,' he said, 'the man earned- his salary many times ovor liy something he told 11s before ho bad been there a fortnight.' Unfortunately, however," said Mr. Sinkinson, "some British manufacturers expect « man to make' bricks without straw. They appoint him and leavo him without any equipment." "Trade unionism to 'us," Mr. Sinkinson continued, "means simply a body of workers _ discussing their economio aims. Our policy is one of federation with organisations whose aims are similar to ours, i'or instance, at tho present moment we arc about to federate with tho National Association of Industrial Chemists (1000 members) and tho Electrical Power Engineers' Association (3000 members). There are bodies with aims similar to our own, and are definitely constituted trade (unions. Whether tho nc\w society will send [representatives to the Trndo Union Congress remains to be seen; but it will not become affiliated with the Labour Party, for it is not considered desirable, that it should bo ] tied to any political organisation at pre- j sent. It is, of course, open to tho coun- j oil to reconsider thai decision at any I time. ' j

The membership of the National Union of Scientific Workers is at present about 600.