THE LABOUR MOVEMENT

Evening Star, Issue 22458, 1 October 1936, Page 2

THE LABOUR MOVEMENT

(By Trade Unionist.) WORKERS MUST MEASURE UP TO STANDARD. During the depression the ForbesCoates Government placed hundreds of unemployed workers on Pnbl.c Works jobs throughout tho Dominion at rates of wages which wore in most cases just a bare subsistence. Many of the men employed had never done navvying wor»£ before and could not bo expected to do an ordinary day's work. Since the advent of a Labour Government the Minister of Public _ Works, Mr R. Semple, has entered’ into an agreement with tho New Zealand Workers’ Union (the national trade union that has been functioning for many years now in tho interests of men employed on public works) for reasonable wages and conditions on these works. ’The position now is that a large number of men that wore previously employed do not measure up to tho standard required to earn the minimum wages fixed for the jobs required to bn done, with the result that they arc being left to find other avenues of employment. Some of them are finding it very 7 difficult to obtain jobs. At the termination of their services some of tho men concerned had a difficult time owing to being made to stand down for a fortnight before being allowed to go on tho No. 5 scheme. However, in many of the cases the N.Z.W.U. was successful in getting the regulations waived and the men _ were allowed to begin almost immediately on the unemployment relief jobs. A largo number of men were somewhat disappointed at not being placed on the new jobs that are now being undertaken by the Public Works Department, but are now beginning to understand that, although they had been employed under abnormal conditions on these works, they could not measure up to earn the new rates of wages. The Public Works engineers as a whole have a fairly good knowdedge of tho capabilities of men for tho class of work they require them to do. The men’s engagement is not a personal matter or a sentimental one; they have just simply got to employ 7 the men who they think are qualified. In regard to the men not qualified, most of them are fully qualified for other classes of work, and the placement officers in the various centres aro rendering yeoman service in placing men in positions amongst private employers. # • ♦ « THE BASIC WAGE. At last tho Arbitration Court has decided to fix a date to hear the case for a basic wage, and has arranged for Monday, October 19, for the hearing in Wellington. It is going to be rather difficult at the present time, owing to the fluctuations in the prices of necessities of life, to assume what, could bp considered a money wage that would keep a worker, his wife, and three of a family in a reasonable standard of • amfort. Most workers’ wages have been increased to their 1931 level, with the result that the cost of most of the everyday requirements has increased proportionately, and until the repercussions of those increases can bo said to have reached their normal equilibrium, in the writer’s opinion the workers have nothing to gain and possibly. lator on, a let to lose. Nobody, even tho most ardent Labour supporter, wishes to see the producer or seller of goods suffer a loss as a result of tho increased wages cost; neither do we want them to make an excessive profit as a result of increasing their prices too much. Therefore a reasonable time should elapse to see just where wo stand as a result of the stimulus given to industry due to the increased demand, following tho _ increased spending power that has just been acquired by the workers. Although the Legislature has decided that the court should sit within three' months of the passing of the Act to fix a basic wage, “ Trade Unionist ” feels that it is lust a little premature, and may possibly react on tho workers themselves, although it is admitted that the Government was animated with the best of intentions when it framed the law and passed it. Under the circumstances, I think it would be wise at this juncture if the court had dolavod its sitting for, sav. another three months longer for the purpose of getting some better ideas of prices, as at present these are very uncertain. « • • • IRISH T.U.C. VOTES FOR AFFILIATION. Irish Trade Union Congress, at Tralee decided to affiliate with the International Federation of Trade Unions. Tho proposal was made by the Irish Women Workers’ Union, whose spokeswoman, Miss Louiso Bennett, said that recent events had proved conclusively the necessity for a united trade union movement. Workers everywhere had common interests and common enemies, and Labour must be united to fight that menace which aimed at taking from them independence and power. Mr Sam Kyle submitted that the Irish people had attained a certain degree of independence and freedom. T.icv did not want, however, to use their freedom for their own selfish ends, but so that they might bo part of the working class movements of the world. Miss Helena Moloney, the next president of Congress, referred to the teachings of Karl Marx. Marx, she said, seemed to inspire dread. She had no hesitation in saying that a great deal of Marx’s deductions were wrong, but ho had made many important contributions to economic thought. ♦ • • * WON 472 RECRUITS FOR UNION. This year tho Trades Union Congress silver cup for the largest number of recruits secured goes to Mr W. Fccklen, a member of the Smithfiekl branch of tho Transport and General Workers’ Union, wha, during 12 months, obtained 472 new members. Runners-up had to their credit 387, 281, and 215 members respectively. The \>'inner holds the cup for a year, and receives for himself tho congress gold badge. Mr Fedden’s union arranged for him to attend the Plymouth Congress to bo presented with the awards by the president. Mr Allan Findlay, when the organisation section of the General Council’s report was being discussed. ♦ * « • DOMESTIC TRAINING FOR GIRLS. According to a report published in a recent New York daily domestic training for young girls is in actual practice somewhat along the line; of a movement now being advocated in Dunedin. The following is the extract:— “ Household training for young women on relief rolls, equipping them to hold jobs in private employment, has been initiated in 21 States, New York City, and tho district of Columbia, through the allotment of 500,000 dollars of Federal funds, to lie administered by the women’s division of the Works Progress Administration. Courses whore general housework, child caf’e, and the cooking and serving of

food will ho tauoht hare boon established in 10 States, and in 12 other States prepa-ations are nearly completed. The funds will make possible the training of approximately 7,C00 girls.