The Auckland Tramway Union

Industrial Unionist, Volume 1, Issue 2, 1 March 1913, Page 3

The Auckland Tramway Union

As an example of the need of Direct Action, commend us to the lackadaisical, half-hearted methods of the above Union. Consider the history of that once-militant organisation—its two strikes, its firm, rebellious action of twelve months ago, when, by the mere threat of a strike over the Christmas holidays, it enforced more pay and better conditions. After such a fighting past, surely their conduct during the Waihi strike, their lmlf-hearted-ness and servility of the present time are hard to' explain. Their attitude toward the fighting Union of Waihi has had, 1 conjecture, much to do with their shamefaced attempt to make an agreement with their employers.

At the time when the assistance of the Union was required on helm If of the Waihi miners, it was pointed out by some of its own members that if Rhodes, the mining magnate, should beat the miners, he most certainly would turn his attention to the Tramwaymen in their turn.

There is not a doubt that, unless the Tramway Workers assert themselves, their wages and working conditions will remain much the same; and, so far as working conditions go, there are certainly very apparent evils. Why, it can hardly be termed even Craft Unionism when an organisation, so-called, upholds, for months at a stretch, the employment of men seven days in the week; and it is quite fair to say that an average of 65 hours per week in the Traffic Department is not Unionism, not even Arbitration Unionism; it is nothing more nor less than organised scabbery.

It is quite time that the Auckland Tramways Union attempted to regain its good name, and the first tiling to establish, at the outside estimate, is a 52-hour week. This will not be accomplished by getting down on all fours, by grovelling like a pack of slaves; but by conjuring up the old fighting spirit which has been asleep quite long enough. Grovelling did not get air brakes fitted, glass fronts and motormen’s seats. Servility didn’t get the free pass to travel over the system, nor did humility enforce the 8-hour day for the ” spare list.” Not shuffling, but the straight-out fighting spirit won the two strikes.

Say, Tramwaymen, aren’t you tired of going back on a Saturday night after a long, wearying shift.

to work one or two hours on a “ special,” when you might be taking the wife, or the girl, out for a walk, or to a picture show ? In justice to vour wife, don’t you think you ought to fight along with the other boys for a better state of affairs ?

Is it just to have to pay ss. for a license for the right to work ? No. of course it is not ! But it will be made Right until you have the might to stop it. At. present the Company is short of motormen. and now is the time to enforce decent working conditions. Note is the time—not when the place is overstocked with labour.

There is no need to leave the cars stranded in Queen Street. Take a lesson from the victorious Italian and English railway workers. They won by obeying the rule book in every minute particular. Tiie delays thus caused disorganised the railway system. You may then still draw your wages and win,* Win, WIN ! !

Last year the Tramway Company made £52,000 profits. Yes, they made it out of your labour power, out of You. Over and above wages, depreciation, extension and expansion, each man, woman and boy working for the Company produced £7O clear profit for the capitalists. The profit on your labour power, Mr. A. E. T. Unionist, was £7O nett. That would give your kiddie a better education, your wife a decent holiday, and yourself a little luxury to help out the drab grind, day after day, year after year.

Now, it is not a question of what you need, nor is it the limits of the bosses’ greed; it is a question of Alight, of Organisation that will decide one or the other. It is not brotherly love, nor fatherly kindness that will adjust the scales ’twixt master and slave. It is Power !

Make your job worth having. Fight for better conditions. Get that 52-hour week.

Don’t be afraid of getting things through Direct Action. Force is used against you, anyhow. Was it not used against yon when Harry Carter was victimised ? You may he the next. So get busy !

Fight and organise on the job. Emancipate yourselves through the One Big Union of the Working Class. SPAN WIRE.