"ROPING-IN" BY UNIONS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 156, 20 July 1937, Page 7

"ROPING-IN" BY UNIONS

Young Employees Not Liable' for Membership CHAMBER ALLEGATIONS The position of a number of juvenile employees in regard to membership of unions was discussed bi'iefly at the meeting of the Hastings Chamber' of Commerce last evening. It was pointed out that many had joined without full knowledge of their position and that, though they had paid the dues and fees under a misapprehension, they were not able to receive any refund. The question was raised by the president, Mr Hugh W. C. Baird, who pointed out that junior employees under the age of 18 years were not required by law to become members of their respective unions. However, quite a number of them often became very concerned as the result of things they had been told, partieularly by some of the union officials. He said that he knew of a number of cases when such young people had been "roped-in" by the unions, but on being informed ot tlieir true position, and on making application to the union for a refund, had been advised that they would have to pay a resignation fee and give three inonths' uotice of their intention to resigu. Mr Baird also mentioned that some employees collected the dues and sent them to Wellington, hut otliers considfered that tho union officials would have to coilect them. "If the union secretaries are so anxious to help the employees and to give work to people, why do they not appoint a married rnan to call round the various places and coilect the dues?" he asked. "The amounts to be collectpd in such places as Hasings and Napier surely would he sufficient to provide work for an at present out-of-work married man," Mr Baird also protested against the extravagant demanda being made by the union secretaries for the awards and contended that these only led to discontent and that if the demands were not reasonable they would only lead to further unemployment. Jttegarding the matter of the resignation fee, another member said that he knew of a nian who had paid his fees while in Hastings and on leaving the district had paid the resignation fees and then rejoined a similar union in the other district, only to Je&ve that and have to pay more resignation fees. Finally he had repeated the performance in Napier. He had been carrying out the sauie class of work, but in different" districts. It was eventually decided to write to the Associated Chambers of Commerce drawing that organisation's attention to the various matters mentioned and also making the suggestion that it might be possible for the Associated Chambers to compfle a statement on the effect of the legislation upon employment by asking members to' supply information about their staffa.