MASTERS OR SERVANTS?

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5284, 8 June 1928, Page 2

MASTERS OR SERVANTS?

THE MARITIME COOKS’ STRIKE.

POSITION OF THE SECRETARY

In the Press accounts of the progress of the Australian maritime cooks’ strike the public, has heard a good deal about Mr Tudejiope, the union’s secretary. Throughout the dispute he has loomed largely and arrogantly. Negotiations have been frequently interrupted because Mr Tildehope was in Brisbane, or Sydney, or Melbourne. Again, although the Trades Unions’ Council was prepared to take charge of the cooks’ case and deal directly with the shipowners, the union, refused, following, one presumes, tlie policy of sp’endid isolation ■initiated; by Mr Tudehope in the first place and continued by him. This aspect of the case Invites reflection (says the Dominion). The strike of the cooks- has involved other unions. The loss in wages, i:s stated to be £38,000 weekly. That is a lot of money to pay for what seems to 'have been the exaggerated ego of a single individual. Yet it is not an isolated case. Trade unions are somewhat prone to leave the task of creating disputes and fomenting industrial trouble to their paid officials. The reason for that is probably the fact that union meetings as a rule are poorly attended, and then mo-tly by the more aggressive element, which is more interested in stirr’ng up strifefrom purely political motives than in. the welfare of the organisation. Before the days of secret ballots matters: were made very unpleasant for inode-rate men who had the courage to voice their objections to extreme tactics.

The result of the lethargy of union members has been that union officials in some eases have gradually acquire.! an authority and prestige altogether incompatible with their real status as paid servants, of their unions. A hotable case- in point is tlie British coal strike. In that costly and. for the miners, disastrous event the figure of Mr A. J. Cook strode arrogantly about tlie country, boasting of the Russian Communists’ financial support. The miners for the mos.t part were living in misery and . want while Mr Cook strutted in. the limelight. At this point it will probably occur to the reader to wonder wlio has been financing the cooks during their prolonged strike in Australia. One ean hardly imagine tha,t the Trades Unions’ Council, which has practically been told' by Mr Tudehope to mind its own business, would feel inclined to subsidise til’s extraordinary parade of foolishness.

It is probably true- that many severe losses might have been spared to some trade unions: if they had insisted that their executive officers should be servants, not masters. The leaders of the more militant unions have much to gain politically by exploiting the limolight of industrial strife. If they cannot be disciplined from within, by their nominal employers there is always the danger of disaster through bad leadership. By this time the same thought has probably occurred to the members of the Australian Maritime Cooks’ Union.