THE LABOR MOVEMENT

Evening Star, Issue 19804, 1 March 1928, Page 16

THE LABOR MOVEMENT

[By Veteran.]

Brief contributions on matters with reference to the Labor Movement are invited. CO-OPERATION. The co-operative movement in Germany involves nearly one-half of the population. Recent figures published by the International Office show that the total membership of the co-opera-tive societies attainted with the Central Union of German Consumers’ Co-opera-tive Societies is 9,300,000. The members of co-operatives are mostly heads of families, and it is therefore estimated that German co-operators, with their families, number some 30,000,000 people. Co-operation has grown enormously in Germany,_ as well as in other European countries, in recent years. .The necessities of a narrow subsistence level have compelled European workers to cut out unnecessary distributive expense, and the medium through which they have made their wages buy more is the consumers’ co-operative societies. Tho International Labor Office figures show that the membership of the German Central Co-operativo Union has actually tripled in the years between 1910 and 1926. The same report classifies tho members of tho German co-opera-tives, showing that by far tho greatest proportion are industrial wage-earners and salaried employees, with farmers and agricultural wage-earners almost completing the total. *■ V * » THE BIG CONFERENCE. Next month has been, set down for a. big conference between employers and workers’ unions at -Wellington, under the official auspices of tho Minsiter of Labor, with the object of arriving at a basis for the amending of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, as promised by tho Minister at the end of last parliamentary session, 'flic delegates are to bo restricted to twenty-live for each side, and the choosing of tho Labor twenty-live has given rise to considerable comment and disappointment amongst some ot the organisations. The Alliance of Labor gave an undertaking to tho Ministei (hat they would call an open meeting of members of unions, affiliated and non-alliliated, at which an election ol delegates woidd be held to proceed to Wellington to a dominion conference, at which the twenty-five delegates to meet (he employers in conference would be appointed. Some unions in Auckland (bat were not affiliated lo either the Alliance of Labor or the 'Trades and Labor Council claim that they received no invitation to attend the preliminary meeting; while others would not attend a meeting at the invitation of the Alliance of Labor; and now that (ho quota of twenty-five has been selected they claim representation at next month’s official conference as an individual union registered under tho Act. Further, they allege that the delegates sent down a fortnight ago to Wellington wont, down with a mandate to advocate tho abolition instead of tho amendment of the Act, but this is denied by the delegates. During the week several unions have written to the Minister asking for tho right of representation at tho March eonferenccbut an answer in the affirmative is resting on very poor grounds.

CLOTHING TRADE IN AUCKLAND. The Conciliation Commissioner (Air P Hally) last week had what might he termed “a field week” with the local clothing trades, each section of which has a separate award or agreement, and this entails a separate sitting of the Conciliation Council. On Monday the factory tailoresses came up for consideration. On 'Tuesday the white workers (shirt and underclothing workers) commanded attention. Wednesday was set dowji for the dressmakers and milliners, these three sections being conducted by Aliss Cossey (secretary). On Thursday the male workers in this industry, the pressers and cutters (Air W. Aloxsom, secretary) came under review. It may be mentioned that the northern union is not in the New Zealand Clothing Trades federation, and the southern trades' conditions having advanced somewhat, the local unions are endeavoring to get level with their southern confreres. In council a partial settlement” was arrived at except in wages and hours, and these have been referred to the Court of Arbitration. The question of hours is a very cogent one with the local union, for prior to the last agreement the clothing workers in Auckland enjoyed a five-day week of forty hours, and this was lost in tbo last agreement, work on Saturday mornings being resumed. 'Tramp.” INDUSTRIAL TLA CL. The Industrial Peace Conference, initiated by Sir Allred Aloud, gob to work on 'Thursday afternoon on its task of surveying “ the entire held of industrial re-organisation and industrial relations,” with a view to the paving of the road to permanent peace between Capital and Labor on a just basis. Never before in our industrial history has such a comprehensive and wholehearted effort boon put forward to enable Britain to do lull justice to her economic opportunities and capabilities. Uu the employers’ side of tho table arc tbo controllers of at least a thousand millions sterling of invested capital, and on the other side the accredited leaders of tho great trade union movement, all (except Air A. J. Cook) thorough believers in co-operation and in the present possibility of establishing it on a firm, because equitable, foundation. As we seo the position, the conference lias been made possible by tho patent failure of tho policy of strife. Both sides have now realised that there is no profit to either capital or labor in perpetual friction, valued by spasmodic stoppages, and that tho ,ou)y possible way to individual and national wellbeing is through tho gates of goodwill. There must be give and take if Capital and Labor are to abandon the cat-and-dog life of tho past in favor of a harmonious partnership. Happily a national atmosphere favorable to the ultimate success of the conference exists to-day. All tho political party leaders, men and women of all creeds—from the Archbishop of Canterbury downwards —and economists and sociologists generally are supporters of this policy of peace. Everybody except Air Cook wishes tho movement complete success, and wo know what generally happens when the whole world lias to deal with a single supreme egoist. Air Cook and his opinions belong to what is now known to have been a bad, stupid past—not because of his championship of the wage-earner, but because of bis wrong procedure. Tho policy of 1926 must be abandoned, wholly and radically, and Mr Cook and the extremists among the coalminers must not bo allowed to prevent or even postpone the dawn of a new era. Let the national toast thou be “ Success to Peace!” And let us hope that the same kind of statesmanship—the statesmanship of brotherhood—will animate also the cotton trade leaders in their coming attempts to bring order out of chaos and to re-establish'tho prosperity of Lancashire’s staple, but stricken, industry.— ‘Liverpool Post,’ January 14, 1928. » * * * LABOR CONFERENCE IN SYDNEY. The president (Air W. M. ’Webster) delivered his address to delegates. Ho claimed that tho new rules gave the Labor movement a workable constitution. The fact that there were differences within the movement showed that it ■was virile. It would bo a bad day for Labor when there were no differences of opinion. If there were any in tho ranks of Labor who thought they were suffering under an injustice they had the right of appeal to the annual conference. The President condemned the proposed amendment to tho Federal Arbi-

tration Act as reactionary and drastic. The executive had already taken steps to see that a widespread opposition to the measure was set on foot. The bill was basically rotten and reactionary, and the working masses would never tolerate it. Put forward in conjunction with the proposed industrial peace conference, it had a sinister import. The workers were only too anxious to preserve peace in industry, but it must to peace with justice. If Prime Minister Bruce was sincere about industrial peace, lie would at once withdraw the proposed Anti-Trade Union Bill. Later Federal Labor Leader Charlton addressed the conference. Referring to the early approach of the Federal elections, he said it was necessary for Labor to give over its internal cpiarrels and realise that a stiff fight was ahead. Labor’s platform was not made by politicians, but it was the articulate voice of accredited representatives at conferences. There must be discipline, and rules to guide them. These rules must bo obeyed in season and out of season, if solidarity was to be the aim of their organisation. They must concentrate on winning the Federal elections, as the Federal Parliament bad control of the machinery from which the workers could hope for most.