An Iniquitous Rule

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 14, 9 June 1911, Page 5

An Iniquitous Rule

By YANK

ShoAV us your certificate! Arc you of good character ? Those aro tho questions put to prospective Avharf laborers by the officials of some of the Waterside Workers' Unions.

Imagine the irony of it! Before a worker is allowed to occupy even the humble position of a Avharf lumper his fellow-AVorkers insist that ho must cringe to some exploiter or clerical nonentity to obtain their good opinion of him in Avriting. The degradation of it! The insinuation it conveys is revolting to every Avorker with a spark of pride. Tho fact that a candidate holds a clearance from a union is not sufficient guarantee as to his bona fides. A certificate must be produced. The best guarantee of a man's worth from a working class viewpoint should be a paid-up union card or clearance. Not so with the watorsiders. Their refusal to accept a clearance as a guarantee of a man's worth is a reflection upon the union which may havo issued them. Tho Auckland General Laborers' Union recognised this. Members of their union applying for admission to the Auckland Waterside Workers' Union on a clearance havo been turned doAvn. Have you that certificate ?—that is tho burning question. With commendable energy the matter was taken up by tho Auckland Laborers and the following resolution Avas sent to tho Auckland Waterside Union: ' 'That tho action of the Waterside Workers' Union in refusing to accept members without written characters is detestable to members of this Union, and Aye emphatically protest against such procedure; and, further, that this meeting recommends its members to refrain from presenting written characters other than their union clearance when seeking admission to the Waterside Workers' Union j in tho event of their being refused admission or work, that this union support them in any action they may take." Since the Auckland laborers are prepared to accept clearanaces from any union, this action on the part of the Auckland Waterside Workers shows up as .being exceedingly shortsighted. It is quite certain that if our comrades of tho wharves only realised the stigma of which is cast upon the characters of those engaged in their calling thj_y would arise in their indignation and Avipe that idiotic and insulting clause right out of sight.