Annals of Toil

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 61, 10 May 1912, Page 6

Annals of Toil

The official report of tbe Steel Trust shows that tho average number of employees in 1911 was 190,888, against 218,4,15 in 1910, with a total of annual salaries aJid wages of 1(31,419,031 dollars, as compared with 174,955.139 dollars in 1910. *■ * * Belfast Corporation tramways will this year show a gross profit of £'32,----000, while the gas undertaking will yield £21,000 for the relief of the rates. The Boston longshoremen's strike, which lasted six weeks, resulted it. a victory for the workers. » . » Andrew Furusoth, president of the International Seamen's Union of America, is opposed to the formation of a transportation department of the American Federation of Labor upon the ground that such a body won I<l be composed hugely of land workers, who are unfamiliar with the, needs <j ( the teamen. The New York thcc.Jrical stage employees have decided that they are entitled to G2l cents an hour. The new regulation also limits the regular working hours of a day, and alter that period has passed the stage hand will receive double wage, or in most cases 1} dollars per hour. The Nelson Carpenters' Union has applied for a new award. The chief thing asked for is a rise in wages from Is. 3d. to Is. 4Jd. an hour. with slight al-t-orations in the working conditions. * * * A ''coal and blanket" fund has been inaugurated in Christehurch. The necessity of such a fund is a reflection upon New Zealand. * * * J. V.. MeManus, secretary Dune-din General Laborers, reports that, there are 60 to CO members of his Union iinoinplovLi.l iii that city. * * * "Old Draper." writing to the ' Lyttelten Times," says: "'iiiere is no doubt that the drapery trade, in tho majority of cases, is worked on lines which practically reduce employees to a state, of slavery, only to be compared to the Ticious 'living in' system in vogue in the Old Country. Tho wages paid to employees—both male and fo-. male—-are hardly believable, so infinitesimal are they. The remedy lies in the employees' own hands. Without doubt- the drapery trade is, at the present time, the greatest trade in the Dominion whose employees do not possess a 'union. Surely it is time tho employees woke up to their own interests, and it is only through the agency of a union that they can demand tlioso lie-Ids (hat tlie employers refuse them.-' * * * j The Wi slport carriers and. representatives of tho Westport Labor Prion. | (Mosst ■!. Dowgray, Stephenson and j Maloimv) have arrived at an industrial agreement, governing tho wages and hours of drivers in Westport. * * * I The ease against the Auckland AVatr-r----sdde \\ irker:;' Union, for eausinga strike, was again before tho Magis-tral-e.'s Court 'lately. The Magistrate decided that the care was one for the Arbitration Court, and ruled amtdingiy. » * - Tho Wellington Crocers' Union is ;.p----plyimi to the Arbitration Court for aa award. The case tame beforofho Conciliation Council, but no di.-oiidon wag arrived at. * j The latest copy of the .teurnai of the Deoartrnent of Labor shows that cix unions have registered under fh« |C and A. Act, whilst, (he cancelled. I Ifiit it should be pointed out that, tho j monikers of one union clone which canI colled would easily exceed the. memb«-x----sbip of the whole of those which rig'sI Twfntv thousand women in Bi'.-.v.teg-j b-m Kn.dand. it is stated, are working ! -'\t. c. rdim' hooks and -yes at. an average ' Va'-e <d' from L : s. Od. to -Is. a week.