Arbitration in West Australia.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 80, 20 September 1912, Page 8

Arbitration in West Australia.

By P. H. HICKEY. I Labor rules in the State Parliament of West Australia. To he correct, it is- supposed to do so. Tin l elect inns of PHI resulted ill the complete triumph ; of the Labor Party, the Wilson f'-.iv- i eminent being hopelessly defeated. j Since flint tinu* the Labor Parly, j under the leadership of ex-miner Scad- | den, lias controlled the political destin- j ies of the State. Organised Labor, j smart in-. 1 ; under a. hundred wron;..;s, took coura.ce. Surely that self-sacrifice am : j niagnilieeiit solidarity exhibited al the { polls by the workers oi' West Ausl.rn- | i 1 in would be rewarded and sonic injus- j ticer., more particularly the. most flag- 1 1 rant cms, would !>e removed? I j !">ul the workers have been once mere j ! disillusionised. They asked i'or greater | economic freedom and they have bad handed fhein :l coon-ion measure called ; tin Arbitral ion Ac!. ! The Act. iiiiroduccd by a party with ; an rbsohifo majority- 'M 7; HJ--h:is ; been th*- eau-e o!' a considerable amount of comment and indeed open condemnation on the part of tlw most relive I unionists of the Suite, more parlieuj laily upon the goldlields. the scene of j the' birth of the Labor Party, I The Bill is entitled "An Ae| to • amend and consolidate 11-e biv relaiin. ; l-o lile set !.lement of indllstl ia! disputesby a.rbii. r;! ion and for other relative , pnrpo.•'.,.■' There is e-rir.i irony o ni- | r:,ii'.-il in the 1.-itt. r- nnrtion of [he pa-■- ---| eraph. As ii reads at ]W'iH (the Rill ! has I-.-.., a i.-ad a rec0.,.1 lime I i;. not ; only takes away tin* rie;ht in strike, but i nl-'o impo.-i"-- rvn.'-h ies upon ihe strikers which miikes I he much-condemned Wade niesvqii'e a mild thine- c-miivira-I f ivolv. One •-■ieitsur.' has been intro- ■ (jer'-d by a pirt.v absulutely dependent ■ upon the w: rhors ior its l-xislcUie and I camiiosid for the most part oi' workin-- | men'; f1..-. oth-r was introduced be a I dicl.uvd en v ol' Labor in the interests of lb- .-hi---- le which he h.-hu.-'.t'M — th- ca'iilal',- !-i-1.-v ■■-;. (im. en und"r- ■■ i •! ml the n;".:-ure in i Im hiter erne. I Li i h" i'ol'lM.-r it i-: il-.niOiUechcliMbl '. I After out liniii',; the scop-, of I ho prn--1 Tio;«'d Act. methods of procedure, im'--j-.-d i;-t i :■■ oi ihe court and so on. P",rt \ VM.' o,' .' c -!ie;o--ere [■■ included under j {'■ ■ h- arte).* 7,' "(Mtenr''.-" : "No person ' 'kail t.-ke part in or do or be con-c-'ri".":! in d'.r'i'j. :Mlv matter cr Ihili'-' in. ; ihe iiHtnre of a lock-nut or strike." (ire-m -,-i he of - • ■-. !•■ i. rot inn all unions | are forbidden to strike under this benI r-tieent measure. .''l;-'-' nniking nrmi- ! '-i-',i ;'.tri-.id'lii; : .>; eii'-' union to assist ani oth'-r ni c;an7ntbiu liiiauei-iHv in tbe '■ event n>' a <-irike. il:e Act ;;nes on te | srv iiinf I lie p-nnlfy for ti breach of ibi-: section is :CoO. : |1() ~r ;, ,te ns f.-lloW.. :— "ill The court may, en the appliea- , tien ef any pa'-fv to an industrial award : er a_r. emeul' or of the registrar or an. • in-t;? = tri.i 1 inspector, make nnv such rrder as it shall deem just nnd iicce--;----s-trv in tlie nature of a mandamus or injunction to compel compliance with 1 an inibi.-trie.l award or agreement or to ! restrain its breach or the continuance 1 of any breach. '•;'_) The i-oiir( may, en the applieaj 7.,n of Ihe i--'-! drur or any industrial j it'sp'-etor. mate-an\ ord- r of th ■ tiiiluio al'un-.-uiid which it mas deem just nnd necessary to restrain any breach of this Art or the continuance of any breach. " 3i Xv person to whom any su-'h order as aforesaid applies shall, after he has received written notices of the same, contravene such order in any way ; by act or umis.-.i m "iV-iullv- One hindi--el noinids or | three months' impi isonment with or j without hard labcr." | c -'->el[on 1.1.1 makes most int. restim*, j readme:: — j "(1) Any person adjudged by any court to be ".uiltv of .any contra vent ion of aliv of the preeedimf provisions of 1 this pari or of wilful' default in compliance with any tuvard. shall, if such court so orders, in -dUitinn to any penalty S!'t«-S'":d for tlio otfenc., be and : continue subject lo any or all of the following disabilities :— - j / "(fa) .!- (the offender) shall cease to j be a m-Wber. or o!f*csr of any industrial j union or csssji'ttion or trades union or i of any scciaty or body of which any such union is constituted wholly or in part, and shall not bs qualified to be- ■ come a member or officer of any such iirtian or association. "(e. Ha "-hall lose all existing or ac- | cruing riflthts to any payment out of the funds of any industrial union cr association or tradss union, or of any j society cr boiiv of which any such ! union is wholly or in part constituted, ar.d tho racebt by him of any such payment cr t. . making of any such pay- , it-.nt t3 him shall b'i an cß.rioc against 1 this Act. A'iiiiticnal penalty, £20." ! The Eastern Coldli.lds Disirlcl of tini Ansti'iilian Lulmr Federation, lifter ! c.'iiisideriinj; the iue!i*,-ure and sinaii-diii'!; j cefiwin ameiidmciits, unanimously a;..;rce,l to tin- i'ollor. ine; f.-sulnt ion : ■• ''That unicss the aiiiendmenis sih;>,es[- :- j oil by this council tire tmrced te. every union in the district be advised lv refuse to remain a registered society should the bill become ' law." That this resolution i\as no empty decision can best be judged from the j followin;.' letter forwarded by the secretary of the council :il. Aiil'inofor) en Aipuisi l.'j in ihe A.MiU'ne\-Cciicr:il (T. Walker), R. rnd<-ruood, IM.L.A., secretary i'arli.unentiTrv Labor Party, and Alex. -loCallum, serretary of Perth Section A.L.F. :— to the report of the executive of (his council, delivered per favor of Air. J. Cornell. i M.L.C.. T. wish to state thai since, the executive drafted, the report in (piestion the whole maltcr has bc-'-n considered by tire full c-iM-ri! uilb the rc■!i that thoy are unanimous in in-si-iliiu: on the •,-,-!■ 7e oi clau-e 111 beiii- ] struck out. Am in ■; und"f instructions, ! 1 havo- wired io Mr. llnderwoed. : ALL.A., and wish io mdil'.y you also ■ '•■■it the cc.ncil are so inceii'-ed -it s,ncc of the prrno-'.ions contained in the Bill ib.ai :i s.|T*fi;:l nteftim.,; is heiny called to (onsider ill., mea'-.-ure mid point out 1 he nio-'-t objectionable features from our p .in! Ill' viev.. : "The I'eoo'i -.ei-.j aioii:; was .bur-ii.-,lb, v.-rit-.-cn v!■■„', *.!•(> time ay our <.iis No-- il \v.\s ii,o- 'lliiici. -v to allow us io o'.-i! c \!i:;U''l i-.'c!'.' wi.ll <''. ei'V olause Of (.;■•• Sri!. At ti'.'' sam-' time, w.' 1 can -.- .\;v\\ oii!;i.eU'e I '!:;!. snch :: mi-nslll'e v.,v; ..l;a;'t---i by n r.-p:.-, -.ei-U", ive of vhe , l.abm- Party, and. alihomrh seme of

ih.; , elan--.---; :\v nui i,m <l<".ir, an.l will allow llic ci,ii;-[ consider;; Mc di<cl .'i ionarv power.-., <vi one iioiui iiiere if. 11,1 room for speculation. .1 refer to fh ,, penalty clauses. They eeitainly provide lor the punishment of those who dare (|uestioii the equity of an award of live cnurl. The injust i<-e of these provisions is particularly in evidence in conneciion wilh tho proposed treatment of oliieials, especially when we consider thai- tho ollicer who oll'end.- , . is only carrying out the instructions of his .society, and may not be personally responsible. '•In conclusion, we sincerely trust that as this is a measure v. bicb our party is re: 11011-idle for —a fact we shall never I): , allowed to forge! —at least, we' arc justified iv pointing out jlisl how md why wo are dissatislied. "If this Hill roaches tile Vppor House in its nresenl form and is ino'liitinonily io.-sed out, I am coiilident 11': I■■ iniiiiv of our ivi'iml.u'iv. would c;>n>'.:de!- thai :ii la , -! llvi inucli-iiiali<j:n<-tl Chamber had jusl'ilicd its exiitrdi ■'. "l?"gre! ting that I I'm unable is) fully express ihc distaste with which iiic ii , I):!,-: \ i.'w ( his iii.-iticr." 'I'll;' above leUer shuiild sh.-.w ihal a consid; I'abh' voc, i.-.n oi" organised Labor in Wcs.ralia is sufliciontl v alive io the <'\ ils (-.intaiut'il iv ill. l proposed Act to throw the weight of ir< organisation against coercion. Vluii. i\\r- outcome of it all will' be is di.fieu!: -f.i say. but di-e-ldv the T.-iber l : :i: 1 v h:is V::;i'': :' ■ mho very -■ ri-; 1 i.'- thi ;!;ii;:.>; i» »»::-• i--•- Jie • tv.lwari uuirni-.ts of t!ie \Ve.-.;i. In (he words of Hon. .las. Cornell. M.L.1 , ., when seconding a vot:- of thanks ti the writer after a soan-bo\- oration in k.dgoorlie : ''The grave danger in the l.vi.or movi'Mieni p.t the time i- ilr.'.t ol bciisaiing niealy-muiu hod. It wu' not by being mealy-mouthed that the Labor movement was built, but by the strike and by tumult. 11 we hope to go on to greater \ieiorie:-. the- same vigor as of yore, must he infused."