Trades and the Workers

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 386, 21 June 1928, Page 13

Trades and the Workers

By

"ARBITER”

UNION MEETINGS DUE

Thursday. June 21 (To-night)- 'Boilermakers Thursday. Juno -1 (To-night) Plumbers Thursday, June 21 (To-night) .. Belated Printing 'Trades Com'te Monday, June 2n Pointers Monday. June 25 J.* ;; " ” ” B ri cklaverl Tuesday, June 2 6 Amalgamated Society of Engineers Wednesday, June 27 ...Carpenters

The Liftman’s Only Rise In the new award covering caretakers, cleaners and liftmen, the only rise the liftmen get is the physical rise from floor to door. They had hoped J o r a financial hoist, but in view of general tenor of awards at the moment (the invariable tendency being t 0 retain the present wage figure), it *-as almost too much even to wish for an increase in pay. Female cleaners had a slight filip, and not before they deserved it. All awards are being modelled on the lines of old agreements, although in the main an extension for a comparatively short period is being sought in the hope of an early review when economic condil ions become eas» ier. ♦ * If All Worked Full Time In spite of what might be said about over employment in manufactures generally throughout New Zealand, official figures indicate clearly that many industries are not fully manned. During the year ended March 31, 1926, hourf overtime were worked in all industries furnishing returns, which was an increase of 208,997 hours over the figure for the previous year. An average ever all the employees engaged iri all industries discloses that if overtime w ere distributed evenly among all workers, each male would do 33.92 hours and exch female 12.54 hours a vear. Again, if all establishments worked overt iine, each would bte occupied for 6.68 hours in excess of their ordinary time. The figures of short time, too, are Interesting. Altogether 854,113 hours short time were recorded during the year in review, or in other words, it would t>kc 400 men, working 44 hours a week, just under a year to make up the deficiency in time. •'Stupid and Dull’’ Is this so in New Zealand? “I find employers’ collective organisations extraordinarily stupid, and unimaginative.”—Mr. L. H. Green, secretary of the Flour Milling Employers’ Association (England). “When I want information about Labour I go to tle Labour Kesearch Offices. They know more there about labour than the Ministry Passing It On Strange indeed from the workers’ viewpoint how easy it is for dealers to pass on an increased cost of a commodity—yet how difficult to pass on a decrease. A certain newspaper gave the following paragraphs on the same day: "The price of petrol to consumers Will go up immediately, and it is difficult to see how bus-owners can avoid passing on their increased charges to travellers.” “It is difficult to see how the farthing can he passed on to the consumer of sugar.” This is how some dealers pass on an rcase: A paper states that the price meal had risen by £ 4 a ton, and that to ihc housewife it had risen by Is 2d n stone. That works out at an increase of £9 6s a ton. • % • The Workers’ Choice L was stated in the House of Comrwns a while ago that the working classes drink skim-milk from choice. The milk vendor who was lined a substantial sum for adding one part of water to four parts of milk, must have thought his luck was out, seeing that he whs thinning the milk down to please his consumers. This statement on the workers’ choice, coming as it did from thft British Minister of Health, is not only ridiculous, but is unworthy of a man in such a position. * * * Economy in Men! Was this an Auckland boss?: Workman (employed by a Scotsman): “I have been here ten years, sir, doing three men’s work for one man’s money, and now I want a rise.” Employer: “I doot I canna gie ye that, but if ye’ll tell me the names of the ither twa men. I’ll sack’ em.” * * * The Better Unionist Married men, according to an Auckland trade secretary, are better unionists to handle, than single men. They pay their union fees like true adherents to their cause, and are invariably more accessible than the single man, who dodges about the country from job to job, and is frequently lost sight of for months at a time. One of those who finds difficulty in this respect is Mr. J. Sutherland, secretary of the General Labourers' Union, -whose men migrate with . amazing frequency as soon as their respective jobs are finished. The trouble ’frith these fellows, however, is that many of them —a great many of them —never think of the union secretary before they move and fees remain unpaid^ Report on Wages The preparation and publication of a “Preliminary Report on Methods of Regulating Wages and Working Conditions,” has aroused a great deal of interest in England. The report consists of an outline of the methods of wage fixation, from which it appears that approximately eight million workers have their wages regulated hy joint conferences, statutory machinery, and similar arrangements. If this estimate of eight millions is accurate, then there are other six to §even million workers in the country who are outside any kind of wage agreement or procedure. Relief Workers’ Compensation It seems that the operation of relief Workers involves more hardships than

a mere drop below tlie standard living wage. Many instances have been produced lately in which those engaged at 12s and 9s a day on State relief works have been involved in compensation claims through accident incurred while on the job. In such an event the rate of compensation is computed on the relief rate of wage (66 2-3 of the wage being assessed for permanent partial disablement). •Where permanent disability has been incurred it is thought by some advocates of the workers’ cause that the compensation rate should be assessed at a figure at least commensurate with the basis of the standard wage-earner. -There appears to be a large measure of justification in this claim, for, after all, when the stigma of unemployment has disappeared from this country (extravagantly optimistic suggestion now!) the permanently disabled relief worker will be unable to join his fellows in getting a decent job and working out his own destiny. When Labour Does well An interesting point about trade unionism at Home is that the greatest increase in membership occurred when the Labour Government was in office. This suggests that when political Labour is doing well the trade unions benefit in influence and membership. Some union leaders and revlutionary industrial experts may find it worth while to study this fact. The membership of some of the unions is going up however, and the workers are hoping for a trade union revival. Sunlight for Miners An experiment with artificial sunlight upon the health of miners has been carried out at the Sherwood pit in the Old Country, and experts have declared it to be a success. The method employed was to take 100 lads, all of the same physical tj'pe and ages, 50 of whom were placed under treatment by mercury vapour quartz lamps, while the other 50 were kept under observation. The first 50 were exposed twice a week to the ultra-violet light in doses increasing to five or six minutes at a time to the front of the body and the, back. At the end of three months the boys of each group were reweighed iind measured. With the help of the light each boy put on twice as much weight and about 50 per cent more in height than the boy not subject to treatment. There was a general improvement in appearance, spirits, and appetite. The adult miners generally took the greatest interest in the experiment and voluntarily submitted to treatment in the clinic, and distinct benefit is reported to have resulted from treating rheumatic and skin disease cases. Over 100 miners* children attended the clinic, with dgood results.