TRADES UNIONS AND STRIKES.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4005, 23 May 1884, Page 4

TRADES UNIONS AND STRIKES.

[TO THE EDITOE OF THE DAILY TeLEOEAPH.] Sic, —I notice in your issue of this day a letter from ono "Homo" attacking Trade Unions. I think he has gone far beyond the mark in his remarks. Ho presumes because ho is an old man, his experience of Trade Unions must be great, and ought to have some force. It will be admitted, generally, that some people at 30 have gained more experience than others at three scoro and ten. I think "Plomo" rather adrift when he says they unsettle and do workingmen a vast amount of injury. I am not an old man, but my experience of Trade Unions, both at home and in the colony, for 15 years is the reverse. By having Union you get unity of action. Masters and men have their separate societies, and meet and act as they think the state of trade requires generally. Any grisvance that may occur is settled by arbitration, which I think a much better -way than the old system of Avhen work is brisk men push beyond moderation, and when dull times come around masters are not slow to retaliate. I cannot see how thoy can possibly make strikes. Masters knoAV noAV if a strike takes place that Union men have something to fall back upon, and are therefore more particular how they act. Before Unions came to the front men had to take what masters offered, but we have left those days behind, I hope never to return. Noav Labour, if it has any grievance, boldly faces it, and demands redress. This great change has been fought for inch by inch. Forty years ago boys of 7 years of age Avorked in the mines from 16 to 18 hours per day. Then no boy under 10 Avas allowed to work. Noav no hoy can be employed that is under 13 years of age. No one can be kept in the pit more than 10 hours in 24, until he is 16 years of age. Forty years ago it was no common thing to see women at Avork underground, noAv no Avomen can be so employed. Perhaps "Homo" longs for the days of his youth, when women worked and carried their children to the pit with them, and tho men went cock fighting, bowling, or pitch and toss. If "Homo " ever worked anything between a trapper boy and overman ho will know that this is correct. I think it is by Unions that this disgraceful state of affairs has been altered. As "Homo" does not mention tho particular colliery he Avas connected Avith, wo will admit that part to be correct. But I knoAV he is Avrong in stating that all the iron mines and iron Avorks were thrown out of work ; it did not stop all furnaces on Tees, Wear and Tyne. I think the remainder of his statements are almost as far from the truth as this one. Next, "Homo" attacks the leaders of the Union, and in doing so he condemns such mon as Messrs T. Burt, CraAvford, the late Macdonald, Allan, Odger, Guile, Chamberlain, Cowen, and Plimsoll, men that have each stood up for the various classes of Avorkmen on land and sea. I Avill admit that very f eAV Avorking men lay by for a rainy day. This proves all the more ucod of Unions. No one can tell Avhen he may bo suspended, and it is then that ho wants something to fall back upon. I am surprised to bear that the miners, amalgamated engineers, farm laborers, or any other leading Union over broke doAvn through the funds running out. I know Avhen a strike occurs Unionists haveto keep suchraean eon-

temptible fellows as non-Unionists are, who refuse to give a Is per Aveek to a fund, but never refuse to accept charity. This is where the shoe pinches, union men having to keep such as these as well as themselves. As regards the soup kitchens I think the masters are far from being so liberal as that. " Homo " may have seen it, I never did. I could almost imagine ho had been reading one of Mrs Henry Woods' interesting novels. I think it proves clearly that such men as Earl Dudley could have given the penny per ton when Aye add his previous profit per annum to the £4,000,000. Strikes do this, and are a curse to master and man, but Trade Unions are a blessing to working men. If Trade Unions are bad why do they increase ? Unionists noAV number hundreds of thousands, an increase having been made in the last sixteen years of 7 per cent. In the depression of 1878, 79, and 80, which Avas one of the most severe trials Unionism has had, did they not bear the strain without flinching ? This ought to convince "Homo" that he is wrong. In 1572 the engineer's association spent £156,000, and during tho five years depression spent £387,000, and in 1879 £230,316, relieving 46,000 persons in the last year, at the same time the money spent on strikes, the average being less than one per cent, of the total revenue. "Homo" is wrong as regards the trade being driven out of England and not coming back. I would advise him to pay more attention to the trade and navigation returns. The total value of steam engines, machinery, and mill AA'ork exported in 1882 was £11,962,660, as against £9,943,613 in 1882. And to go back to 1873. The best year on record, 1882, shows an advantage of £1,942,731. There can be no doubt we stand better to-day than ever wo did before, especially when we consider the heavy tariffs imposed. America levies 9s 4d on locomotives, and 35 per cent on general machinery. So much for the trade being driven aAvay. "Homo" next goes into politics ; I won't follow him there. But, in finishing up, he must have another bIoAV at Trade Unions leading to strikes, starvation, ruin, revolution, and destruction. They do not lead to strikes. Changes are generally accomplished Avithout strikes (I speak of the north of England). A joint committee of masters and men meet once a month, when all local grievances are carefully sifted. On the final vote as to the remedy the bard hand of Labor counts as much as the soft hand of Wealth, and although arbitration and conference boards are more or less clumsy they aro preferable to strikes. Unions are the indirect means of getting a fairer division of the profits, and I think, until the time arrives Avhen Labor and Capital can unite in one hearty, earnest, and honest co-operation, tho working men ought to bind themselves in a great and amalgamated union for offence and defence. —I am, &c,

R.C.L

May 21, 1880,