TO WATERSIDERS.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 23, 11 August 1911, Page 16

TO WATERSIDERS.

Sir,—ln. your Waterfront column of July 28th your Lyttelto.ii correspondent is evidently up in arms against'the present' inactivity of a number of waterside Union officials,, and rightly so. But the same remarks can very wellbe- applied tothe tifficials of other unioiis hofenvate-rsidcrs;. whose chief occupation seetois'td rh& '-in. holding on to tlieir nice little salaried positions with as little" iuebnvenienoe' to themselves as possible! l";d<JJti f t fonder at so much

discontent being manifested among tho workers, of to-day, Avhen. we are continually reading such and : such a union has iioav come to terms Avith the employers and signed up, fixed up, and such other phrases. Yes, fixed up for a term, and the paid officials' positions secured for the same-.period, Avhile the men are sent back*- to the employers tied hand and foot to be further exploited till the term expires. No Avonder your correspondent criesi ''Let's be up and .doing!'.' .Watersiders, Avhere are you? Hoav much longer are you going to be gulled by these peaee-at-any-price loving individuals;, who are continually telling you : exploiter and exploited haA'O a/:comraon cause, and aycTl ask lioav much he is going to alloAy live upon during the next few year». Be men! ThroAv the yoke■..•off-.h/i"&ay Avhat you Avant! Get into the'"N.Z. F.L. —don't be last! It's coining,'and! the Patea watersiders are in a position to knoAV. The spirit has grown for one more big union in Auckland, and the thing's a cert. Co mc;, on, Wellington—don't be last, or you "wilt' find yourselves in the position of/the big strong man folloAYing the baby for protection. Watersiders, if your officials A\'on't moA-e, get behind them and push. The I.C. and A. Act is useless, s|3oiled .by its. penal clause. Arbitration is a farce as far as the workers are concerned. Folioav the example set by the employers and get into one organisation, and be in a position to strike the same as the exploiters are always doing by rising the price of your commodity—labor.—l am, etc., Patea. GEO. SMITH.