THE LABOUR QUESTION.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 478, 7 June 1890, Page 5

THE LABOUR QUESTION.

MEETING OF IRONWORKERS. EIGHT HOURS SYSTEM. Auckland, June 2. There was a large meeting of master ‘ironworkers and farriers at the Club room of the Park Hotel on Saturday evening, and it was resolved to form an Association to be called “ The Association of the Master Ironworkers and Farriers of the Province of Auckland.” Mr J. Patterson was elected President; Mr T. lnglis, Vice - President; Mr J. Mclntyre, Treasurer; and Mr E. M. Page, Secretary pro tern. It was resolved unanimously to adopt the eight hours system, and a committee was appointed to draw up a tariff of prices for submission to a subsequent meeting.

THE RAILWAY SERVANTS,

QUESTION OF WAGES AND HOURS,

The ordinary meeting of the Auckland branch of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants was held yesterday afternoon at the Britomart Hotel. There was a good attendance of members. Any action re a letter of complaint from one of the employees was deferred pending a reply from the Resident Engineer, who had been written to on the matter. Some correspondence and circulai-3 from the Head Executive were received and dealt with, and also circulars in reference to correspondence between Head Executive and the Railway Commissioners. A committee of eighteen members from the various departments was appointed to meet on Saturday next at 8 p.m. at Britomart Hotel and take into consideration the question of wages, hours, etc., of this branch. Mr Mills, President of the Trades and Labour Council and Tailoresses’ Union, was present by invitation, and explained that the dispute with Mr Mcßride was still unsettled, but that assistance was coming in freely. He also stated that Messrs Garrett Bros, had failed to come to terms with the Bootmakers’ Union. The secretary stated that subscription lis'ts in aid of the tailoresses were issued amongst the members, and that the letter fromtheTradesand Labour Council had been referred to the Head Office. A delegate was appointed to the Trades and Labour Council in place of one resigning. Several new members were elected. THE WELLINGTON TRAMWAYS. The proprietors of the Wellington tramways say they have been losing money for thirteen years. Dr. Grace told the Trades Council delegates on Saturday they would sell the whole concern at a low price and be glad to get rid of it, as they were always putting their hands in their pockets without any return. The owners of the tramways expressed themeelv'es quite willing to give their servants a share in the profits when the property becomes remunerative. An understanding was arrived at on this basis. SEAMEN’S UNION CONFERENCE. Messrs Gibb and Belcher will be the Seamen’s Union delegates to the Conference of Unions at Sydney on June 14. It is stated in Wellington that the Officers’ Association has not acted in concert with the Maritime Council. The latter contemplated the Conference before promulgating its demands. The latest addition to the Trades Unions is that of CO-OPERATIVE BUTCHERY. Mr Barber’s proposal to start a co-opera-tive butchery in Wellington, caused by the sudden rise in the price of meat, is not meeting with great success, and if carried out at ail will be in a much smaller style than originally contemplated.

BOOTMAKERS’ DISPUTE

GARRETT BROS. AND THE OPERA TIVES’ UNION.

The dispute between Messrs Garrett Bros, and the Bootmakers’ Operatives’ Union, which has now dragged along wearily for somewhere about two yeai'3, has now arrived at a crisis which may imperil the amicable settlement of all matters in dispute that has been lately hoped for Messrs Garrett Bros, recently intimated their intention of making their factory what is called a “ Union Factory,” and in pursuance of this resolve informed their hands that in f u ture they would employ none but Unionists. The hands employed, being all non-Unionists, were advised to join the Union without delay, and they expressed their willingnessto do so. Then an unlookedfor difficulty arose. Five of Messrs Garrett’s men are under agreement to work for the firm for a period of five years at good fixed salaries, and three years of the five have expired. These men are willing to join ohe Union, but the Union have imposed such heavy penalties upon them that they cannot see their way to obtain the sums of money required to qualify them for admission. Garrett Bros., being under agreement to employ these men under a penalty, consider themselves placed in the position of having to reemploy them, although not Union men, in order to avoid litigation. Either this, or they must pay the tines imposed on the men they wish to retain, for the fines and entrance fee 3 amounting to about £lO per man, it is not to be expected that the workmen themselves can meet the demands of the Union. On the one side it is thought that the Union have behaved with needless severity in the imposition of heavy fines, and on the other side it is urged that this was a very peculiar case, calling for exceptional treatment. A UNIONIST STATEMENT. In order to give the Unionist view of the situation one of our representatives this morning interviewed the Secretary of the Operatives’ Union. “ Will you tell me,” asked the reporter, “ what difficulty has arisen with respect to you admitting Garrett men as members of the Union ?” “ We are quite willing to take them in,” replied the Secretary, “ but they have first to pay their fines. We are willing that Garrett’s shopsbould be a Union shop, but they havo had five men in their employ who have been fined£lo each. We requiro that to be paid, and also an entrance fee of 30s each before they are admitted.” “And what do Garrett Bros, say to this ?” “ They want the men reinstated, free.” “How do you expect the men to get money to pay these fines ?” “ Well, we don’t care who pays the fines, or where the money comes from. We are willing to take every man from Garrett Bros.’ shop into the Union when fines and entrance fees have been paid.” “ Does it not strike you that you are rather hard on the men ?” “ It may appear hard to you, but think what these men have cost the Union. They have been working for Garrett Bros, during the strike, and while other men were walking about receiving strike pay, and altogether they have probably cost us about £200.” “Do you expect that Garrett Bros, will

bo compelled to pay these fines for the men ?” “No, we do not trouble ourselves about that; so long as I get the money there will be no difficulty.” “ But why were five of their men singled out?” “ Because we considered them to be the ringleaders, and because they gave us all the trouble when tho strike was on.” “You have no objection to take the other hands on ?” “ Well, seven of Garrett’s men were fined £lO each, and four were fined £5 each, at the meeting of the Union held on Friday night. They had a narrow escape of being kept out altogether; as a matter of fact, one of the men lined was a man who received sbiike pay amounting to £2 when the strike was on, and subsequently went to work for Garrett Bros. He has now refunded tho £2, and paid a portion of his fine. Another of Garrett’s men has paid his fine and entrance money, but the others have not done so far.

AUCKLAND OPERATIVE BAKERS’ UNION.

A meeting of the above was held at Robson’s Rooms on Saturday evening, a lair number of members being present.-. A letter from the Secretary of the Trades and Labour Council was read, asking the Union to help both morally and financially the tailoresses out on strike from McBride’s.

It was resolved to help them as far as possible in both ways. In consequence of violating the rules of the Union, the namo of one employer was 3truck off the list of those working in unity with tho Union, and the membership of his foreman was cancelled.

It was resolved that Messrs Wright, Freeman, and Smith once more interview those employers who are not acting up to their promises, so as to know definitely who are friendly or otherwise. The secretary was instructed to write to the various Unions in regard to receiving a deputation re blackleg employers, etc. The question in regard to the abolishing of overtime was postponed until next meet ing. A slate containing the names of men out of employment was ordered to be kept at the Rooms, where employers could get supplied. Messrs Burton and D. Grubb were elected hon. members of the Union, and also Messrs Thos. Wilson, Stillwell, Munroe, J. Davis, Karangahupoßoadabthe last meeting.

Mr Wright tabled a motion to do away with all regular jobbing. No favouritism to be shown in regard to any particular workman.

It is intended to have a public meeting shortly, similar to that of the Tailoress’s Union last week, so as to let the public see and hear what the Union asks.

CHRISTCHURCH BAKERS

The Christchurch Trades and Labour Council on Saturday advised the Journeymen Bakers’ Association to accept a compromise proposed by the Masters’ Society, re rule 14, in view of better arrangements being made in the future.