Use the Embargo!

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 2, 8 December 1911, Page 15

Use the Embargo!

By C. C. FARLAND.

! Discrimination! is 4 word of potent meaning to waterside workers. It brings to , mind long days of weary waiting at the waterside, an! empty cupboard, a pinched wife, with anxious gaze, meeting the footsore breadwinner on his return. Her woman's intuition tells her at a glance whether the embargo has been lifted, and whether Friday will bring a little. group of | silvef coins to replenish the larder', and flight a smile in the- little shack. ! Discrimination is the birch of the, slaver, the scourge of tlie industrial tyrant. It strikes not, as'in,days gone by, on the slave's broad back, but hits below the belt. It is ari endless thong, ,which spares not even the weakest of the children. Employers' discrimination or embargo is the greatest curse of the waterside, industry. It attacks the unions like sharpshooters potting off the officers bf a ship in naval warfare. .When strong men are needed in time of stress it is most active, and pinches the belly in. the attempt to beat the brains of our best men. Discrimination'until now has been a one-sided affair. The master class has held the, whip and dealt . their blows where they are most effective. The watersider has' taken the blows and winced the while, like a great draught horse or an elephant, heedless of the fact that he is powerful enough to rend his tormentor. For what are their ships without the labor of men? The mistake made in the past has been the constant advervtisiiig of bur intentions, the calling of conferences! at, which the wily shipowner lias sucked us dry, and 1 by our verbosity has been enabled to outwit us. "Come into my parlour," said the Spider' to the fly, and we have gone into tlie net, tbe; biggest and best-con-structed net —the" Arbitration Cotirt. It will be necessary' for life' .to', devise inieaiis' of getting ah! anhua'l\agteemeiit from' fhe employers without resorting to a; starvation strike, except as a last i resort. , There is a\ ready iheahs at our disposal', and that is the 1 embargo, i which 1 the employers have t taught us ito' use. We recognise that with the ; increased Size of modern vessels the ;cost of maintenance, becomes' greater every year. Some of the vessels trading on the coast cost as much as £100 : a day to keep up. Tlie employers who ; refused to sign an. agreement, or who ■refused to carry it out when made, ; could* be fined two' days' delay, which '• Would amount to £150 in the case of some ships. An employer who discriminated against a worker could be fhied five hours' delay, and the fine could be repeated till satisfaction! was gained. A regular scale of fines could be drafted as follows: —

The management committee would consider each case on its merits, and inflict the penalty, and instruct the officers to see that it was carried out. No notice would be given the company concerned. The men would simply leave work or refuse engagement until the union saw fit to raise the embargo. In some "countries this method is known as the irritation strike. It is simply paying back the employers in their own coin. The waterside workers are unique in their powers for militant organisation. Our .men are congregated * they can be addressed at any time. A week's lockout is a common thing; an organised embargo is the same thing organised for a different purpose. It is time we recognised our power and ceased to be the cringing, casual slaves we have been hitherto. Our unions should act like machines. Our officers should be above reproach, bur committees should be composed of the strongest and best fighting men. They should have the > support of all members in guiding the unions. A committee which 1 does not carry the confidence of members should be disbanded. Until we are organised for the general strike we must use our most ready weapon, the embargo. We must see justice done to our class. In the carrying out of such measures a, strong committee. is necessary: it is part of the weapon. Strengthen your committees * organise your unions ;' stamp out the Arbitration Act, and use the embargo.

Engaging non-unionists „ Paying under rates Working men after hours stipulated Bullying by foreman, dismissal Discrimination .., . Fatal accident: Cessation of work until after funeral £ 50 100 '60 200 70