Trades and the Workers

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 772, 19 September 1929, Page 15

Trades and the Workers

By

"ARBITER"

UNION MEETING DATES Thursday, September 19 (tonitrHt» r»i,, Trades and Labour Educa tional, Monday. September 23 .. .. . and Tramways. Tuesday, September 24 .. .. ** Painters and W.E.A ** Stonemasons Engineering Trades , „ Tenders From Outside

Sheet metal workers are having a ' busy time just now and there are jobs offering tor some men. This is due mainly to the rush of the dairy season, which demands the manufacture of implements. In other branches of the engineering trade' things are not good. The secretary of the union placed 30 men in one day recentlv, but the work was only for about ' a week. So it is with most other trades: intermittent work is the best that they can hope for in the timeBrighter Meetings Brighter and more instructive union meetings are sought by the Amalgamated Engineers' Union, which has arranged a series of lantern lectures in conjunction with its usual meetings. This evening there will be an address upon “The Evolution of the Motor-car,” illustrated by lantern elides. These features, it is considered, not only stimulate the members in union affairs, but also give the men an added interest in their jobs by producing a better understanding of the environment in which they work. * • . Manufacturing Workers In a report presented to Parliament recently some enlightening ligures relating to the manufacturing industries and the persons engaged in them are given. Analyses of the data given for the various industries over the period 1926-27 and 1927-28 show that nn the whole there were 164 people less employed last year than in the previous year—Bl,74o as compared with 81,904. The statistics reveal further the differences in staffing in the same period. Increases: Meat freezing, etc., 711; clothing, 220; printing and publishing, 179; butter and cheese, 171; motor and cycle engineering, 152, and chemical fertilisers, 89. , Decreases: Sawmiliing, S93j flaxtn tiling, 173; electric- supply, 167; electric tramways, 155; biscit and confectionery, 154, and general engineering, 110. Boys for Farms To supplement the work of vocational guidance by investigating the possibilities of employment and advance in the main occupations connected with the agricultural and manufacturing industries of New Zealand, and to bring boys into close contact with the more common of these occupations so as to enable them to make a more intelligent vocational choice is the aim of the Boys’ Rural Vocational League, an organisation recently formed in Christchurch. It is proposed to study the best means of placing boys on the land and in industry so that their future, subject to a reasonable amount of sacrifice and effort on their part, is as far as possible assured, the ultimate end being to increase both the moral and economic v/elfare of the country. Among the objects of the league are those which foster greater selfreliance and initiative and thrift among our younger citizens, and help toward the solution of unemployment problems, by guarding against casual and "blind alley” employment among boys. * * * Opposed to Picketing An endeavour to prevent by legislation the system of strike picketing *as made by a deputation which approached the New South Wales authorities recently. Mass picketing, it was claimed, had developed into a new form of terrorism associated with basher gang assaults. The timber workers had left their employment because they refused to work under the award of the Arbitration Court. The employers had filled nearly all their places. The staffing of the timber yards of Sydney was fcunost completed. The men had not only left their employment, but had refused to return to it. They had defied the law, and had definitely cut tnemselves adrift from the timber yards. There was absolutely no justification for attempting, by methods of terrorism, to prevent the industry, that had almost attained normal proPoitions, from being carried on according to the award of the court and the law of the land. The fact that 90 per cent, of the yards were fully manned destroyed any possible justification for picketing. There was a dnie, it was stated, w r hen peaceful Picketing was looked upon as the legitimate right of a trade* union. To!*a-’ it had developed to such monstrous proportions that the only remedy was the prohibition of picketing altogether. Since that date the Government of . e State has indicated that legislation will be introduced shortly to effect to these proposals.

During a conference of the Engineers Federation at Christchurch recently, a deputation waited upon the Minister of Public Works protesting against contracts for bridge-building material being let to overseas tenderers without giving the local manuracturer a chance to enter a price. V le rTv HurUllui and two bridges at rawa Flat were cited as specific instances. The explanation was made tor the Government that local raanuracturers usually occasioned delay, and on some occasions had asked for extension of time. The federation therefoi *e, to get into touch Wltil the firms concerned, and ascer-

tain whether the requirements of the Government could be met, the deputation expressing the opinion at the same time that the Government should in the first place consider the local manufacturer, and give him an opportunity to compete. Girls Change Over An interesting experiment was carried out in America recently when a group of girls in one weaving shop complained that they were unable to earn as high wages as carpet weavers elsewhere. The employer, who also complained of bad quality workmanship, invited the union to suggest a remedy. The union arranged for the interchange of the personnel of the shop with that of another shop in the neighbourhood, the firm concerned being promised the return of their workers in a short time. The union theory was that the first group of girls had become convinced that they could never earn decent wages in their own shop, and what was needed was a change in their mental attitude. The new girls found they could eafn their accustomed amount in the offending shop, and it was thus made clear to the former workers that they themselves were at fault. They were returned one by one to their old plant where, working with the newcomers, they picked up more efficient methods of work. As they returned, those who had interchanged with them went back to their own shop, until the transfer was complete. From that time the first group of girls earned as much as other girls in the trade, and there were no further complaints from workers or employer.