Looking for a Job

Industrial Unionist, Volume 1, Issue 5, 1 June 1913, Page 3

Looking for a Job

Most men, at some time or other, have been in the unenviable position of having to go look for a job, which was more or less urgently needed in order that they might live. Some —the vast majority, in fact—don’t trouble their heads with the reasons which compel them to take this step, while others have no need to do any such tiling; they only know that they, the workless workers, must have a job of some sort in order to receive wages that the landlord and storekeeper may be paid. This article is simply the experience, true or imaginary as you think fit to read it, of an average out-o’-work looking for a master. The seeker of toil tramps along until he comes across a job where a gang of men are busily engaged in transferring pieces of New Zealand from the bottom of a trench to the surface by means of long-handled shovels. Being a practical man at this kind of work the jobless one runs his trained eye along until he sees’ the person who can tell him to work or no as he thinks fit—“ the Boss.”

Squaring his shoulders and stepping sprightly as he can, our labourer goes up and accosts the boss. “Any chance to go to work here to-day?” “ No; full up,” is the answer, and the searcher has to try his luck elsewhere. By-and-bye he comes to another gang and easily picks out the foreman by tlie somewhat authoritative'manner with which that person speaks and walks about. “ Well,” soliloquises our seller of labour power. “ I suppose lie won’t come to me, so I’ll have to go to him;” and then he thinks grimly what he would do if the bosses had to come asking him to go to work instead of he going to them. “ My, I’d name my own price if that was the case, and would not take just what they offered to give me.” Meanwhile he has now approached the boss, and the question is put as in the former case. “ No, I’ll have to lay some of my own men off if things don’t alter quick.” says the foreman. “ They all say that,” quoth our man. “ Yes, I’m afraid there are a good many men walking around now. You are about the fiftieth that has been here this morning. Things are slack all right.” Away again, rather disheartened, trots the job seeker, and tries place after place until, tired and weary after a day’s refusals, he turns his steps towards home.

Home ! What a sarcasm. He knows that a very chilly welcome awaits him. The landlady wants her board money, and he, poor fellow, hasn’t got it, not tlie means of getting it, and he feels pretty bitter against Society. On his homeward tramp he sees the motor cars rushing past towards the aristocratic part of the town, and reclining in them are well-dressed women and portly, comfortable-looking men. “ They say this is a prosperous country,” says lie. “ Well, it may be for them, but it isn’t so very prosperous for the likes of me. There’s something wrong somewhere. I’m willing to work and cannot get it, so I’m down and out, but those rich folk never work and they never go short. It isn’t fair. Why should they have all and me none?” And thus, grumbling at his ill luck, he gets along to his cheerless lodging to meet his landlady with aA r erted face as lie says, “ No luck to-day, missus.” And this is only one of many instances, on one of many such days.

Fellow Avorkers, don’t you think the question the job hunter asked himself is a very important one ? “ Why should they have all the good things and me none?” Of course it is. The worker is willing and strong, and does Avork when he gets the chance. The other class don’t, and yet they get along very comfortably. Hoav is it that such things go on ? What is the matter ? Is it because the worker is ignorant of his OAvn position in society and therefore does not stir himself up enough to make a step in the right direction ? There must be something wrong. Surely men were born for something better than to spend a large amount of their time hunting around for the job that alone gives them the right to live. Workers, study this question out for yourselves, and when you do really understand the position you Avill act quickly, and act rightly, too. There is no question about that. The only thing is to get to knoAV the reason for it all.—C.B.