UNION MEETING DATES

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 536, 13 December 1928, Page 6

UNION MEETING DATES

Thursday, December 13 (to-iiiglit) . „ .. .. .. Related Printing Trades Friday, December 14 .. .. .. .. - - -.-. -.--- - ...Curriers Saturday, December 15 .. .. .. •• .. •• - .. I< ellmongers Monday, December 17 Furniture Trades Monday, December 17 Plumbers Tuesday, December IS • • * •* •• •* •'v •• »• Stonemasons Wednesday, December 10 Plasterers

The brickworkers’ conference which, was held in Christchurch recently decided to apply jointly with Auckland for an award to cover the Canterbury and the Northern districts, this agreement to form the basis of a Dominion award. Workers under the Shops and Offices Act are wondering whether the amendments for which they asked early this year, and which were shelved, will be forthcoming when the new Ministry finds its feet. Of course, they hope for the best. Overtime for clerical workers will rank high among the claims for attention when the Act is being overhauled in its minor essentials. Watching the Awards Nominations for the positions of workers’ and employers’ representatives respectively on the Arbitration Court have been called, and will close on January 31. At the present time the workers are represented on the Bench by Mr. A. L. Monteitli. Mr. W. Sill, of Auckland, is deputy-workers’ representative. The employers’ representative, Mr. G. T. Booth, of Christchurch, has been on the Court for only a short time, having been appointed on the retirement of Mr. W. Scott. Organising in the South During his visit to the South Island, Mr. J. Purtell, union secretary at Auckland, opened negotiations for the complete organisation of the caretakers and liftmen tliroughout the Dominion, with a view eventually to forming a federation. At the present time the Dunedin and Wellington sections are not formed into unions, but it is anticipated that as the result of the visit of Mr. Purtell, this necessary advancement will be recorded in the near future. Will New Government Act? It has been suggested to the new Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, that he revive the National Industrial Conference, which was left unfinished by the Reform Administration. It will be an interesting observation to note whether the new Government will endorse the policy of the old regime in. respect to the recommendations of the first conference. Certain it is that the time for putting into execution the recommendations of this year’s deliberations is long overdue. Recognising that the Reform Government was largely a farmers’ organisation, one would assume that the e elusion from awards of agricultural workers would be rectified by the new authorities. Certain it is that careful investigation of all circumstances should be undertaken before any section of the workers should be excluded from awards, as such a policy might possibly reflect upon the administration itself, unionism throughout New Zealand having agreed to stand four-square upon this, the first principle of unionism. Again the question of workers* compensation must be gone into and dealt with upon the lines as suggested by the conference—if any good is to be done for the injured worker in this country. To trifle any longer with this important question is but to put off the evil day when its.consideration will become inevitable—and with each succeeding day, infinitely harder to solve. Will the Judge Return? It is suggested in industrial circles that Mr. Justice Frazer, who is now relieving on the Supreme Court Bench, will not return to the Arbitration Court, but that his appointment is meant to be a permanent one. This would be irr direct opposition to the advocacy of the New Zealand Law Society, which has already voiced a half-hearted protest against the possibility of Mr. Justice Frazer remaining in the Supreme Court. The pull which the Law Society has in official circles might not be sufficient to combat the influence which is working among other sections of the community, however, as this change has been spoken of for some time. » * » ' Getting the Truth Workers’ organisations in Australia have decided to send an emissary to Russia “to ascertain the truth” about the industrial conditions under the Soviet regime. We have had so many versions of the truth from Russia, from special investigators and casual industrialists, as well as from noted writers, that the sceptical will wonder whether the truth is ascertainable in Russia at all. However, it would not do to discourage this latest effort to get to the bottom of things under the Soviet, so the views of the Australian delegate on tour will be read with intense interest when lie returns. One point is, however, as to whether he will be believed by the people with any greater show of good faith than was accorded others who returned from Russia. New Industry Started Steps have been taken toward starting off the glassworks at Ashburton, Where complete investigations into the possibilities of the industry have been made. No machinery has yet been

installed, but the majority of it is on the way. The company conducting the enterprise has the hardest task ahead of it yet, because of the technical difficulties which face it in the manufacturing of the product. Much of the work in the early stages will have to be done by hand, because the machinery for it would involve an expenditure of an amount that would not be justified by the present demand. Later on, when the market is more firmly established, more machinery will be installed. The interests of the men on the works have been organised from this end by Air. .7. Purtell. who is secretary of the glass workers in Auckland. * * * Bad Conditions Recognised The war clouds which have been gathering in Bolivia during the past few days remind one of industrial conditions'there. By an amendment to the Workers’ Compensation Act made this year, the Bolivian worker underground is treated with greater consideration than his co-worker in Ijew Zealand. Workers manipulating drills m underground workings, the Act now states, or employed in ore mills or kilns, i.e. those who are principally exposed to pneumonoconiosis, will bc enUtled 30 days’ annual holiday with full pay at the end of a year of consecutive work. Workers who disagree with the result of the medical examination carried out before and after their employment may claim compensation from the management on the presentation of another medical certificate issued by a recognised physician. Regarding the Workless The new Prime Minister has made his first gesture toward solving the un employment problem. He has; given £2 000 of the States money to Christ church for the relief of hardships the Southern city. Auckland will he wanting some shortly, for things are m a pretty pass at the moment. However, our two Ministers of the Crown possiblv will watch, that. Ilf tackling the general problem one thing the new Government must do is to alter the present method of compiling data in respect of the men who are actually out of work. At the present time the head of the local office of the Labour Department, together with the Government Statistician, secures information from tire unions about unemployed and sick pren. But the records at the union offices are not complete, because the men do not all register there. Registration should be compulsory. _ ... It will be seen, therefore, that the data which Is collected under a system of voluntary registration is unreliable, and does not provide even a guide to the actual position. The Coates Government, prior to the elections, established a committee comprising two representatives from each of the workers and the employers to act on an investigation of the whole unemployment position in New Zealand. This committee must get busy soon if any economic benefit is to be reaped before next winter. Along with the collection of this data, of course, is the much needed tightening up of trade union discipline throughout the w'hole country. A complete reshuffle is required, and the sooner the heads of the Labour movement get down to it, the sooner will they be recognised as a powerful force in the community, with ah impressive voice upon public affairs —particularly those affecting the working man. ... Bad Xmas Predicted There will be very little Christmas pudding for a great many people in Auckland this year. The promise for a cheerful Yule tide for the worker is the worst for many years, mainly on account of the steady drag on his resources during the past couple of years through unemployment. At this time last year the industrial position was considered to be as bad as it possibly could get without assuming the proportions of a national disaster, but now it has dropped to even a lower level. “This is the first time I have had 12, men on the books a fortnight before Christmas,” said Mr. H. Campbell, secretary of the Painters. “We thought it was bad last year, but I had no men on my books at Christmas time. Usually w r e are all going full swing at this time of the year.” There are 360 labourers on the union’s books, besides those who will not report at the union office for jobs. Mr. J. Sutherland, the secretary, says many of his men have had only three months’* work for the whole year. It is of no use pulling a cheerful] smile and saying that the good time is coming, because the worker cannol see it, and until lie does, he cannot b« blamed for believing that it is no there. Certainly, the general tone o : things throughout the country i : brighter, but this takes a while to re fleet itself at the breakfast table o: the average working man. A lot money will have to be spent in thif country before the industrial outlook can be viewed with any sort of security by the casual man.