PAYING THROUGH THE NOSE

Taupo Times, Volume II, Issue 57, 18 February 1953, Page 2

PAYING THROUGH THE NOSE

TRAPE UNION FEES IN U.S. ' The Labour Govemment in introducing compulsory unionism in New Zealan-d set the upper limit of unide dues and regulated the purposes and amounts of levies which might be imposed. "Go jtimp in the lake! w would be as polite a reply as New Zealand industrial union members as a whole could think up if their leaders demand of them the due^, fees, charges and levies made upon some of the unions in the Unitecf States of America. Examples: — Initiation fees bf 14 major America n Federation of Labour unions ra nge from £14 16/- to £89. ■ Dues and "assessments '' in these uniordi^ run from 14/4 to £3 4/6 a montk. Ihe crafts that charge the most dont necessarily get the highest pay. Some unions explain that their dues and fees go pai-tly into welfare benefihs,, iike insurances. Whether a man gets a job through the union or directly through the contractor, he sooner or later hiust join the. union to hold his job. In stances occur where a worker is eligible ior union membership only af ter a 90-day waiting period — as opposed to the New Zealand requirement ©f union membership within two weeks of beginning employment. During the 90-day period he is employed on "work permits" costing 17/6 a week. Some members have charged that they were kept on work permits longer than 90 days because the perrnits yield more money than the monthly dues. For sheet metal workers the initiation fee is £89, dues £1 15/10 a month, (base wage 18/- an hour), Plasterers, initiation fee £70 16/8, dues £1 6/9 a month (base pay 19/7 an hour) . Cement masens, initiation £64 6/6, dues £1 5/1 a month. Operatmg engineers, initiation £14 17/5 to £58 11/9 according to skill classification, dues at rate of 7/2 a week.. Electncal workers: initiation £44 10/dues £1 9/6 a month plus 1 per cent on earnings (about £l 15/- a month) --base wage 19/2 an hour. Plumbers,. initiation £44 10/-, dues 17/11 a month plus 2/6 a day for each day TaJ i'a"/ , Pipe ^'itters' initiation £44 10/-, dues 16/10 a month plus io/Pim cent 0n earnings (base rate 7 ? ; l Jronworkers, initiation . 19/6> dues ^2 14/- a month includmg a levy.

And so it goes on with other initiaion fees running- between about and £30 and dues between 14/4 a month (for ordinary labourers or base g-ave 0f 13/- an hour) and 29 - a month. /From D. G. Gunn, (New Zealand journalist accredited as Grantee" to the "Lowsville Courier," U .o.A.) .