Trades and the Workers

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 410, 19 July 1928, Page 13

Trades and the Workers

By

“ARBITER”

UNION MEETING DATES

Thursday, July 19 (to-night) Thursday, July 19 (to-night) Thursday, July 19 (to-night) Thursday, July 19 (to-night) Thursday, July 19 (to-night) Monday, July 23 Tuesday, July 24 Wednesday, July 25 The Arbitration Court is to sit in Auckland on Monday. The list of cases is not so large as was the case on the Court’s last visit to this city. * * * Mr. J. Roberts, of Wellington, secretary to the Alliance of Labour, has been in Auckland for nearly a week. He leaves to-night for the South. * * * A Thin Time Painters are having a pretty thin time just now. All the buildings that art) being €>rected in the city are in concrete with plaster finish, the windows and doors only giving the painter a look in. The secretary of the union, Mr. Campbell visited five jobs of this nature one day this week, and instead of finding eight or a dozen men on each—as would have been the case if the structure were in wood —only two and three men were kept going. The completion of recent theatre construction has affected the union’s books, and the number of out-of-work in the ranks is unusually large. A similar state of affairs exists in the furniture workers, where the situation is just a little worse than it was in the darkest day early in the year. Secretary Resigns The resignation of Mr. Gavin C. Stove from the secretaryship of the L.R.C. in Auckland will be regretted by many who have been concerned with his activities during his two years in the job. When he took office things were not going very well, but the party’ banner flourishes at the present moment. To Mr. Stove must go at least some of the credit lor this improved position. For about 25 years Mr. Stove has been connected with the Labour Party affairs in this country. For two years he was organiser for the Alliance; he was secretary to the Leader of the Opposition in the 1925 election campaign, and toured with Mr. Holland throughout the Dominion. In 1913 he was prominent at the centre of strike activities as a worker for the Red Federation, and since that time he has beerf writing and working for the cause. Pie will retain his control of Auckland affairs in the “New Zealand Worker” and his secretaryship of the Alliance here.

Organisation Wanted An endeavour was made recently to bring all the trade unions in the Auckland district together in conference to discuss a proposal for a complete and effective organisation—embracing all workers in all trades. The objects and the possibilities of such a move are obvious at the outset, for a complete organisation of the working community is what Labour has been striving for ever since the birth of its creed in this country, and incidentally wliat it will go on striving for if the present rate of progress is maintained. Trade unions appear to be far too watertight, and too complacent unto themselves. Cannot they see that no tangible results for the benefit of the working class generaly will be achieved until there is good-natured intercourse between the different sections? It does not mean one big union; it means simply organisation. It has not yet been accepted with any enthusiasm in this district. * * * So Much Rant A cable from Sydney announced recently that the Workers’ Industrial Union at Broken Hill had requested the Australian Council of Trades Unions that, in the event of the Federal Crimes Act, recently adopted, being enforced, all workers in Australia should institute a strike of one day a week until the Act is repealed.

•• Boilermakers .. •. .. Alliance of Labour Plumbers’ Educational .. .. Women’s Branch, L.R.C. .. .. Related Printing Trades Painters Amalgamated Society Engineers - • •. * Carpenters Have the workers of Australia not had enough of seeing their wives and children waste away in starvation? Why not organise properly before indulging in dramatic rant about further strikes? The Boys Suffer A move by employer painters to reduce the wages of apprentices is to be made before the Arbitration Court here next week. The boys in this Hade start at £1 weekly and work up to £3 5s in five years, but the bosses are endeavouirng to reduce the amount to the old award rate prevailing in and before 1916—15 s to start, working up to £1 15s in five years. It is admitted also, that this is no time for workers to hope for substantial increases in pay. But surely it is no time for dragging the subsistence figure back to that which ruled in the comparatively dark ages when New Zealand was jusj: feeling its way to a decent recognition of the workers’ efforts. And isn’t it a bit thick to take it out of the boys? The Futile Cry Labour’s viewpoint on a policy of house construction was elucidated by Mr. F. N. Bartram, M.P., recently, wrhen he said that a limit should have been set on the price of sections and houses, but the Government did nothing of the kind. Neither had Reform kept its pledges in respect to unemployment. This had been intensified by its immigration policy. “They have cajoled thousands of people out here tinder false pretences,” said Mr. Bartram. “The Government’s only cry is more production and everything will be all right,” he declared. "The Labour Party says it is not more production that will settle the question, but to allow men to 'buy that which they produce. There should be an equitable distribution of the wealth already produced. The more production cry is futile.” The Family Ghost The Leader of the National Party, Mia W. Forbes, sees much in common between the Government and the Labour Party.' There was no doubt, he said, in the House recently, the Leader of the Opposition had done a great service for the Reform Party, and the Opposition should send a bill in to the Government for services rendered as “bogey man” in connection with the election. “I think,” continued Mr. Forbes, “that there is a certain affection growing' up between the Government and their bogey. It is the same sort of affection that grows up for one’s family bogey. Most families like to get on terms of friendship with their family ghost.” There is a family ghost which interests Mr. Forbes, too. This shadowy phantom outline of former Liberalism might walk after the General Election! * * * Going Further Down .Trade unions in Auckland are raising their voices in loud protest at the insistence of the State upon the 12s and 9s a day rates for relief workers, and during the past week both the painters and the general labourers have discussed the situation. The chief contention is that the standard of living, which is already low lor these workers, is being reduced to a hopelessly inadequate level, and the authorities are being asked by resolution from the unions to provide the obvious remedy. Their view is, of course, that the State should set t'U example for private employers in the maintenance of a decent working standard. The Prime Minister and the Acting-Minister of Labour, the Hon. R. A. Wright, will bo notified of these protests.