Kaitangata and Arbitration?

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 74, 9 August 1912, Page 2

Kaitangata and Arbitration?

(From Our Own Correspondent.) NEW AGREEMENT. Secret Ballot—Federation the Real and True Cause of Increases. Since my last wo have had a visit from Messrs. Scmplo and Howsird, who arrived horo on Friday, July ?."!. They went into the position with the committee of the union, and on SaturOy were present and addressed a well-attended meeting of the union in Wilson's Hall. They advised the members of the union to take a ballot of the employees of the New Zealand Coal and Oil Co. to ascertaJnif the assertion of the opposition was namely, that we had really a minority of the workers supporting us; Tho meeting unanimously ■fell in with the suggestion, and carried a. motion that a, secret ballot-be token, and that the Arbitration Union be asked to appoint two scrutineers to act with two scrutineers appointed by us to conduct the ballot, so that the ballot would be fair and square to both paTties. However, the Arbitration Union refused to co-operate with us in taking the ballot, and even went so far as to post a notice at the mine to the effect that they advised all their members and employees, not to vote because it waa illegal to do so. Just fancy—illegal to vote on the question as to whether a. worker was in favor of the N.Z.F.L. or of the Arbitration Act. Comment is needless on an action of that sort. If they had a majority of the workers behind them, they would have welcomed the proposition, and the only conclusion that could be; drawn was that they knew the ballot would . have revealed their weakness. Notwithstanding, we went on with the ballot, and gave every worker an opportunity to vote who so. desired. .'Some 167 workers exercised the privilege; lib voted for the Federation, 26 against, and there was one informal /rote. Twenty workers voted who were not members of our union, a few of the 20 being members of the Arbitration Union, and about 30 of our own members, through sickness and other causes were unable to avail themselves of the opportunity. The. Arbitration Union has since met the employers, and as a result an agreement has been published which shows a substantial increase on the hewing rates and an advance on shiftmen's and truckers' wages. The arbitration people, of course, say that this result is a splendid argument for the benefits that accrue to workers who believe in the Arbitration Act, but any worker who is {prepared to ewallow thai) will believe any old story that ha is told. The real reason of the Increases is simply an attempt to dish the Federation, and is the bait held out to workers to induce them to. swallow their principles. Some of. the workers here may be for sale, but it is safe to predict that there are many others who will decline to be bought. It is plain that it is entirely due to the strong feeling in favor of industrial unionism that the employers have made the concessions that they have given. Further, it really is the best argument that has yet been adduced in Kaitangata in favor of the N.Z. Federation of Labor. If the case had gone before Judge Sim it is quite safe to assert that he would not have improved matters to the extent of Uie published agreement: in fact, it is doubtful if he would have done anything at all in the way of increases. The employers know this, still they agree to an increase of 6d. per day for truckers, Is. per day for shiftmen, and 3d. per ton on the hewing rate. Why ? Is there any more than one reason? The one factor in the lot is the operations of the Federation. The company does not want the workers here to have the power and the freedom they possess on the West Coast. The company naturally wishes to' have the workers bound by the I.C. and A. Act, and to do that they are prepared to. increase the,wages, in Some cases, by 12£ per cent. Oh, you workers, when will you think for yourselves? Can you not see that, if the employer will agree to such an increase to keep you under the Act, it is because it must pay him to do so? And if it pays the employer as one party to the bargain to keep the workers under tho Act surely it must* be to the advantage of the worker, who is the other party to the bargain, to keep as far away &s*h.e can from the toils of the Act, particularly so, one would think, when the worker ; s sure of getting just as good, if not better, terms when he has a power like the N.Z. Federation of Labor to stand behind him? However, the next few days will tell a tale one way or the other. If the price offered is sufficient to buy a majority of the workers—well, that is their business. But if not, and the converting of the agreement into a legal instrument goes before the judge of the Arbitration Court, and we then get a chance to protest there, we have every prospect of convincing the court that it will be undesirable to have another award in Kaitangata. •■ "There is a systematic attack apon Socialism just now which is not worthy of respect because the motive is eot quite honest. A good many people are joining in the cry against Socialism who know very little about it. No myti movement can have gained its strength and hold upon many people without expressing some need and some truth which right-minded men are brought to recognise. It is a. rheaais which a great many people in the harder places of life are using in their contention against i privilege, and the wise course is for those who bear the Christian name to try to understand tho movement and, to get into as friendly a relation a& possible with those who are finding, in Socialism their religion."—Bishop Jsdwin S. Lines, to tihe Episcopalian. Convention of New Jersey, U.S.A. SPECIAL STRIKE NUMBER, next week. The number to send abroad or to scatter in New Zealand.

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