R.S.A. INDIGNANT

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 197, 18 May 1944, Page 5

R.S.A. INDIGNANT

Union Letter To Soldier CONSIDERED AN INSULT Fees Demanded When On Furlough Strong exception to the attitude adopted by a union secretary toward a furlough soldier now back fighting in Italy is expressed in “Review,” official journal of the New Zealand Returned bervices Association. In an editorial headed “Insult to a Serving Soldier, it bt “There is a marked contrast between the utterances of the Prime Minister regarding what is due to our fighting men and the treatment meted out by one ot his disciples. When welcoming the first furlough draft Mr. Fraser publicly declared that the country owed them a debt that it could not adequately repay and that they deserved the very best the country could place at their disposal. “Judging by the action of — —, trade union secretary, of Hawera, this ’very best’ the Prime Minister spoke of includes gratuitous insults and the privilege of paying a 5/- entrance fee and x~ 12/- union fees for the right ot helping the country’s production during a part of the furlough period, subject to a refund when he went away to fight again. “For egregious impudence it would be difficult to conceive of anything more telling than the sordid story revealed by the ■ publication of this issue of corre- - spondence between N.Z.R.S.A. headquarters and the union secretary concerned, regarding the latter’s insulting letter to a serving soldier. That any person should abuse his authority and address such a letter to a man with Trooper Sim’s record, and finally should seek to justify his action, is, to say the least, scandalous. “Trooper Randall Sim volunteered early in the war and left New Zealand with the First Echelon. After service in the campaigns in Greece, Crete and Libya, he returned for a well-earned furlough in his homeland. Today he is back again with the New Zealand Division in ’ltaly. “This journal is fully aware of the many benefits derived by workers from the trade union movement. We do, however, take strong exception to a serviceman with Trooper Sim’s service being • classed as a ‘shirker,’ and consider it outrageous that a soldier who, while on •furlough, voluntarily helps to maintain the country’s production, should have been expected to pay any union fees while so employed. ‘Review’ feels, too, that the union secretary has lost sight of the fact that if it were not for loyal servicemen such as Trooper Sim, both and his fellow-members might well ibe working under alien coercion, and he would not be worrying about union fees. "This journal further considers that the phrase ‘are you going to trade on that for the rest of your life’ is entirely unwarranted and contemptible, and is most . derogatory to the thousands of. servicemenwho are making untold sacrifices today in order that New Zealanders may continue to enjoy their way of life—including trade unionism—tomorrow. Labour Federation Attitude. “In forwarding the correspondence, to the Federation of Labour, the N.Z.R.SA.. Dominion Executive committee probably held high hopes that that body would entirely dissociate itself from the actions of its underling, and thus would render it unnecessary to make a public disclosure of the correspondence as a protest against such abusive expressions being addressed to one who had done and is continuing to do so much for his country. Far from doing that, the Federation of Labour even goes to the extent of attempting to absolve the union secretary by imputations of untruth on the part of the R.S.A. officials. “There can be no untruths in the matter. There certainly is no untruth in the statement. Trooper Sim has returned to the front and is in Italy fighting for his country, but ‘Review’ is here to defend him . . . and we are prepared to stand by him, entirely on the evidence so shamelessly supplied by the union secretary himself. “It might be asked why we should take exception to what was said to just one man. The view of this journal is that when — asked Trooper Sim if he was going “to trade on that for the rest of his life,” he asked it of every returned serviceman in the country, and if that outlook is permitted to develop it will most assuredly lead to the utter discomfiture of those who allow it. Let the Federation of Labout take heed, and discipline its representatives who so wantonly bring the movement into odious repute.” Review of Circumstances. In the same issue the “Review” heads a page and a half statement on the matter “Arrogant Letter to Serviceman — Union 'Secretary’s High-handed Action.” It quotes the correspondence, the union concerned being the Taranaki branch, New Zealand Dairy Employees’ Union. Mr. Fraser’s previously quoted words to the first furlough party are inset in the page. The account states that Trooper Sim, staying with a relative at Alton, agreed to help the short-handed local factory. The union secretary demanded a year’s subscription. Sim refused. The counterallegation was that Sim was told he would get a refund for the period he did not work. The secretary wrote later to Sim. The Patea R.S.A. saw the letter. Its members were “highly indignant,” describing it as disgraceful. The N.Z.R.S.A. wrote to the union president, who did not reply. The secretary replied later to the effect that Sim’s attitude was that he had been away fighting and while on furlough had volunteered to work. Therefore whyshould he pay? He did not write to the secretary, as it was alleged he said he would, after seeing the factory manager. Therefore the secretary wrote to him on Christmas Eve asking -that he give the matter early attention. Sim replied that he had finished at the factory and was ordered back to camp for overseas service. He stated: “As I used some of my furlough helping the factory owing to manpower shortage, I feel it is out of place for you to expect me to join your union. You should be grateful that I was able to help out while on leave.” Should Pull Weight

The N.Z.ILS.A. considered this reply reasonable and courteous, not warranting what was written back to Sim. This was, in part, as follows: "One would have thought your experience in the Army would have taught you the principles of co-operation and mateship. While working in the factory you obtained advantages of work done b-y your fellow workers through their union. According to yourself, you went voluntarily into the factory. This is all the more reason why you should pull your weight and pay your share of maintaining and improving conditions of work. Because you are one of many thousands who have been in the army, are you going to trade on that for the rest of your life to shirk your share of the cost of maintaining decent conditions? We are happy to say yours is the only experience of this sort we have had. The prospects of a better world we are told we are fighting for would indeed be bleak if there were many workers taking up the attitude you do.” The N.Z.R.S.A. later received a letter from the union secretary that his executive “unanimously expressed confidence in myself and in the manner in which I have handled its business, including that of R. Sim.” Before publicly protesting it sent all the correspondence to the Federation of Labour, whose executive replied that there appeared to have been some misunderstanding and some untruths. Union policy for casual labour was to make a refund after the annual subscription was paid, five shillings entrance fee and a shilling weekly for the time worked being deducted. This was very fair. Sim’s working on furlough was appreciated,, but he got award wages. Had he paid a year’s dues the necessary refund for time not worked would have been made. The misunderstanding between Sim and the secretary was regretted, as this was the exception rather than the rule with men returned permanently or on furlough.