A Word to Carpenters.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 19, 14 July 1911, Page 4

A Word to Carpenters.

By TOM BL

The idea of Industrial "Unionism is growing in the ranks of all old-time unions, and is growing rapidly too. So rapidly in some unions has it grown that it has become the accepted form of unionism with- them. Yet in other unions there are peculiar obstacles in the iviy of its growth, and which present difficulties the men. in industrial unions do not realise. It is often remarked that the oldest unions are the slowest to move. And that is very true, the reason being that they are tied down by constitutions and rules Avhich were perhaps suitable for fifty years ago, but which are entirely unsuited for the changed

conditions under which industry is carried on to-day. One of the greatest of these obstacles to progress is the system of benefits which prevails in some of the old unions. A case I have in mind is the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters and Joiners. This Society, which has just celebrated its jubilee, is one which is hampered more, I think, than any other by this benefit system. When the Society was formed the idea seemed to prevail that unionism was for tho purpose of providing an insurance against some of the evils which were seen to be prevalent under the industrial conditions then prevailing. It has a sick benefit, an accident benefit, unemployed benefit,

and a superannuation benefit, as well as social minor benefits. To obtain them the subscription was fixed at Is per week, but (has recently been raised to Is 3d per week, and has during the last two years been raised by temporary levies as high as Is 9d per week. The union extends throughout Britain and the Colonies and to the United States, but for several years its membership has been steadily decreasing, while its expenses in proportion to membership have been steadily increasing. The causes for this are not far to seek. The membership decreases because the contributions are too high. Men will not join, and many of those who were members allow their membership to lapse because of the high contributions. The expenses increase as membership decreases because old members claim the'r superannuation benefit, and new members do not join in sufficient numbers to meet their increased expenditure; ana again the revolution which lias taken place in tho industrial vorld lias rendered the carpenter's trade a mere casual one. The result of that has

Craft or Class Organisation?

ODWORTH

been to increase the expenditure on unemployed benefit.

At the Conference of the Society held in Manchester last year, a new section of the Society was formed specially provided, it is claimed, to meet the requirements of Australasia, but in this again tho benefit system is very much to the fore, and it is on the basis of rthis neAV section that special organisation work is now being undertaken by this union throughout New Zealand. The union seems to mc to be in the same position as a battleship of 100 years ago would be in in conflict with some of (the Dreadnought's of pur time, or of an army with bows and arrows facing an enemy armed with quick firing guns. Of what possible use can it bo to-day to attempt to provide a fund sufficiently large V/ cope with tho evils of unemployment ? or to provide a pension out of union funds for old age ? In the face of the or-

ganisation of Capitalism to-day the A.S.C.J. is as helpless ns Nelson's "Victory" would be against the "Indomitable." It is purely a craft organisation and a poor one at that. The nature of the class struggle has not been sufficiently realised by its members or its officials. In all times of trouble the benefits are first looked to"We must secure our benefits*' —that seems to be the watchword. "_Organise on a basis of providing pensions for us when wo are old, or a few shillings when we are sick or unemployed, and let tho Capitalist class take from us all our working days as much a. 5 ; ever they can—we do not mind that as long as our benefits are secure."

Surely it is time the carpenters awoko to a sense of their responsibility, not only to themselves but to the workers of all trades. Organised, or more properly disorganised, as we are now we aro helpless ourselves, and we are a hindrance to the organisation of other workers. But organised as we should be on working-class lines,, realising as we should that we are a section of the Industrial Army, and that our duty is not to ourselves alone but to all other sections of that army, as well as to ourselves-—orga T-sed on those lines we would be a source of strength to tho Industrial army cf the workers.

The time has gone by for clinging to old forms of organisation simply for sentimental reasons. It's all very well to parade a long list of benefits which have been paid. It looks very nice, but we cannot live on the good deeds of the past; we live in the present, and must organise to suit the present and clie future. A full, rigged battleship doubt-loss looks very nice, but. when tho fighting starts it would be useless and a source or danger, greater danger to its friends than to its foes." And a bow and sheaf of arrows look vory pretty on ihe stage, but on the field of battle they would bo more than useless. So it is with a union organised on a basis of paying benefits, which are an encumbrance.

Have them if you will, but always let tho protection of our class as a. clas? bo the first object, and tho gaining for our class as a class the full and complete, ownership and control of all we produce. When that is accomplished there will be no need of benefits!, and to accomplish this the duty of carpenters and joiners' throughout New Zealand is plainly to first set their own union in order and then to take their place in the N.Z. Federation of Labor, and help that body financially and morally in the Avork of Industrial Organisation.