LABOR DISPUTES.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2057, 10 June 1890, Page 4

LABOR DISPUTES.

London - , June 6. Mr JGK Shipton, secretary of the Trades Council, has been re-elected after a sharp struggle with the Socialists’ candidate, supported by the dockers. Hobiet, June 6. Union men refused to work for the stevedore and he was consequently removed. Cheistchtjbch, June 6.

The Canterbury branch of the society of Railway Servants voted for federating with the Maritime Council, by 861 against 4; informal 1. Dunedin, June 6. At a special meeting of the branch of railway servants the result of the voting on giving the executive right to resort to extreme measures if necessary was declared to be—for 586, against 16 ; for federation with the Maritime Council, 604, against 1. Fome 35 members did not vote, PUBLIC MEETING AT W AIM ATE. There was a large attendance at the Oddfellows’ Hall, Waimate, on Thursday evening, about 500 being present, to hear Messrs Parker and Bidmeade, President and Secretary of the Canterbury Trades and Labor Council, speak on the benefits to be derived from Unionism. Major W. J, Steward, presided, and said he believed in Trades Unions if they were conducted upon a proper basis. They must be careful how they used their power, and take care whom they put into office. He was not in favor of strikes, and thought all disputes between employers and employed should be settled amicably if possible. Mr Parker then addressed the meeting. In the course of his remarks he said that when passing through Timaru he found that bakers there were 1 working ninety-five hours per week at 3d per hour, and that Unionism was the means to stop that sort of thing. There was no doubt that union was strength, and they should use that strength fairly and justly. Men who were getting 4s per day before joining the Union must not expect to get 7s a day immediately they joined, but it would come in time, and they would soon see the benefit they would derive from ii. When the tailors struck in Christchurch the Council had only a few pounds in hand, and he did not know where the money was coming from to pay them, as there were about

them, but ..on .the he received ( qheques from the Unions ,i at - Dunedin, ’ West Coast, and other, i Jplapes, and they had more than ' enough to pay the strikers. This was ' |the result jof Dhionism. , , I Mr F. J. Bidmeade in the course ! * of. his, speech; said that Unionism i helped men to hotter wages and better i (hopra. The Council tried in every ' j way to to prevent strikes, and Unions who federated with them, were comj pelied, to refer ahy matter in dispute I i t 6; them before going on strike, or , I taking extreme measures. The Council ; | would first consider the matter, and ; jthen go to the employers, and try to , arrange matters. j amicably, and do j eyery thing p pssible to .prevent, a Strike ; .This, he contended, was for, the good ; ,of the employer, and Unions helped i them as well as the men. At a meeting | of. the Papanui Partners Association ; held a short time ago, the Chairman remarked that owing ,to high rents, bad crops, and. low prices, they would have to reduce the labourers’ wages. Now, he would ask them was this fair ? , Were the labourers responsible for ; high rents, bad props, and low prices? ■ Emphaticably, no, and the Union ! would ,see that they did not suffer for it. He urged them in their dealings with their employers to go on fairly j and justly, and they would prosper. , M r Parker stated that as soon as they returned to Chriatchurch they would call the bakers out on strike, unless the demands of the Union were conceded, pud would even go to the extent !of , running ■ a co-operative bakery if : they did not get justice for, the men.

ivxr j. x , JxicKman said toac ne was and had been for a number of years a Ifirge employer of labour, and always beheyed| in giving a good man a fair day’s pay.; (Cheers.) Tlie Union they proposed to form would be a good thing if it was hot abused. , He COIII4 assure them that capital had not had a rosy time of it for the last four, or five years, and capitalists would not be induced by threats to giye way to any to any unfair demand. Votes of thanks were then passed to the delegates, to Major Steward, and to Mr Franklin, the Secretary of the Waimate Union, and the proceedings terminated.