PREFERENCE TO UNIONISTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 December 1925, Page 4

PREFERENCE TO UNIONISTS.

KHOUI.D BK SAKK-CCAHD OF CO.UM UNITY. (Contributed.) siM t'l.i; amendments. Of the many , questions surrounding tlm regulation ol labour none has been more persistently canvassed than that of- preference in employment to Union members. Notwithstanding the amount I,l' ,-i i ten lion that has been devoted to the consideration of this important subject. however, no complete or satisfactory explanation lias appeared in support ol the validity ot any claim to this particular privilege, and at the present time there seems to he in evidence no stronger reason lor its maintenance than that of a vaguely suggested expediency. ST I lO.x OUST I'OSSailLb FOUNDATION • From the side of those who desired to establish unionism upon the strongest possible foundation it appeared that the buttress of preference would elevate, the unions In a position oi comparative stability and dwarf competition from non-unionists info a negligible quantity. Apparently it was inferred that the granting of Depart ieohir emn essinn would bring about siedt. an atmosphere el content that strikes against the conditions from time to lime imposed upon labour would entirely disappear or. at any rate, he greatly diminished. I nlnrtiinatelv this inference has not been just ili.el hy results. A OII.VVF. OMISSION. A curious feature in connection with Die granting of this privilege is that no equivalent seems lo have been given in exchange none seems to have and undisputed principle has once again been submerged in the tortuous currents of expediency. The principle that, underlies the granting of a priviledge hy the community to any person or hotly of associated persons, is that in return for the advantages so conferred u recognisable service shall he accorded. In every hotly to which a charter is granted, for instance, a professional competence is implied to width the community may have nrosss upon all lawufu! occasions, and it may be definitely slated that no charter would he. ia any eireumsialiees, granted io a body failing In produce satisfactory evidence Dial such trained professional eoinp-'teiit t> would he avail-

able. It I’nllaws also that any charter may I a revoked if the persons enjoying the privileges it coolers, tail to s.-itisfv the community that the proper qualification is being maintained. A lll'.W ll.lnail'.O (OMMI'NITV. The privilege of preference is one id unusual importance in that I practically disquallies all applicants for employment outside the subscribing members of the union. II is this far-reaching condition that is today the chief element, in the maintenance of unionism, and the true explanation of the arrogant altitude assumed by hiluiur up mi many ivet'iil occasions. \ la*wil< !o re I community is now nskiim; lu»\vIu»\v il comes about that not wit lisatuliiptr tbo privilege oi preicreMce, illoual strikes dn not seem to have diminished to any sensible degree, and why ninny of them appear to arise from linly trivial origins. In addition in i hose, a certain amount of suspicion attaches to tho I'aet that, desoite the denials of union ollii inis, illegal strikes appear to tie the result ot concerted action, and this susoieinn deepens into a more er less grounded heliei that ike men am upon occasions acting upon definite in-d rimi hois conveyed to Diem from tone to time lev some persons apparently interest is! in the eontinuauee cf lah-mr di-putes. TIIK TIME omiItTCNE. It is not surprising that, as a result of t ln" e harassing tad lex. the wisdom of graining mi h a privil' ge apri'tei eiice I- again being actively can-vas-M'd. and that t'e-lay tlier- are many advocate- of Die policy of withdrawing the privilege, vvliu-b p is spited baled ~uly tailed to bring about the "v----peeied contentment I ill inis aeiiially .'iggravnleil Ihec■ \ iI:- i I was ill! elided |o alia . . 111 I he: eIII I mnstaiM es I lie t i ill,, seem-, la lie importune In invesli-

gat e the matter from the paint "t view ol ill" bit her!" neglected principle of reeiproeily. and' it may be I hat in ihe light of -ueh an inquiry a wav ol ret I'tevillg the err n - of the pa.-I may be found. a soi■ \ll inilxcll'M'.. 1 f ihe omidnc-ss i f ihe prim iub- of exacting in exelumge for a privilege some form of serviie that can lie etl'eetivolv maiutaiiu-d be adaiilt''d. then the way seems clear lo .suggest a remedy that may have the ell'eet o! resioriug the lost element of control. The application of this principle could he made vv it liont aopai eot dillieuli v. and ~ i 11 1 only a .-light .'imeaduieul of the existing law. if the unions, to which th" prelereuee has been aii-orded. were obliged in retail'll for tins privilege to accept, the responsibility of control. This being the ease il would be the duty of the union confronted with an illegal strike to entice! forthwith the nieinhershi], of the strikers, who would immediately become barred from employment under the very rule of prefere nee. which had .sheltered them white obedient, to union (ontrol. THE WOltKElts’ FIUVII.KCE.

It r;ui scarcely lit l supposed that in tile lace cl' Micii a ruin any worker or sort mu nl’ workers would create an illegal strike without, grave consideratioii, since t lie penally of being placed outside the pale ol preference would strip the worker of the most prized of Ids privileges. Il the union failed to exercise its function in discharging recalcitrant members, it would lie exposed to de-registration upon proof of the fact, at the suit of any parly entitled to make such application. Here again the liability to de-registration would he one which no union would lightly incur, sinte the consequence would entail such unwelcome results as the loss of ollice by the union olliciul.s; llie possible loss of the union's m cumulated funds; and last, but not least, the loss ol preference to all the members of the union.

Tin-; unions’ i.vn.iiu.srs. In these circumstances it is not likely that Ihe union would run the risk of dc-ivgisl ration, seeing that the alternative of discharging disobedient inomlior.s would obviously he the line oi least resistance, and. incidentally, that the liability to he discharged lor <lisobedienco would be presented to the individual members as an additional reason for accepting without demur the discipline of the union organisation. If ilu* union or its officers were to foment an illegal strike, the union itself would he liable to de-registration under pi oof of the fact at tile suit of any party entitled to institute the necessary proceedings. I bus the first act of the union would lie to disclaim responsibility for the strike in order to preserve its own existence, and the next would be to exercise its function of disciplining the illegal strikers, lee function of the Court in dealing with -uch applications as might be made would he first to decide the facts, and upon proof to record de-registration, or upon failure oi prool to msmiss the application. lIOXKST AND KI'KKCTIVK. The intention of the modification m the statute here suggested i- that the result of a breach ot the law should he know n beforehand w ithout, an\ doubt or it iiceri aimy • and that the remedy for such a breach should lollow immodiatelv as an automatic, eoti-e----i|nonce. In the lace of thi- plain direction no union under holiest and elieettive guidance would contemplate a breach of the law. since there would be nothing to gain by sueh an act. while auv union recklessly or dishonestly cuiiducte.l would l.e courting disaster, and sooner or later would come to a well merited end. TO SfMM.UIISC. The effect of tile proposed rule would Ih> t,> give to the community a greater sense of security in the more certain control of the unions which would in such improved service render to the community a iair equivalent for tne privilege of preference, dhe status ol tilt* unions would be enhanced in the more certain control of their metnliers. who would be unable without risk of penalty to act in defiance ot the union organisation. If these conclusions are warranted from a consideration of the foregoing argument, it would have to be conceded that preference to unionists is one of the most powerful engines that the community can possess, if properly a „.,i-rl m- r.-nni-Uto authority, and that

to bring aliout. its repeal would be n regrettable error entailing the hazard of a precarious track through the un-