THE MEAT WORKERS UNION

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10712, 4 September 1912, Page 5

THE MEAT WORKERS UNION

PUBLIC MEETING IN MASTEUTON.

A CHARGE OF VICTIMISATION

About thirty persons assembled in Murray's Hall, Masterton, last evening, in response to an advertisement calling a meeting of Unionists under the auspices of the Taratahi Meat Works Employees' Union Mr J. Bruer, president of the Union, occupied the chair. He stated that they had mot called the meeting to ask for sympathy. They were merely fighting for principles, and wanted ti. public to know the truth. Mr McRae, who would address them, woukl deal" fully with tho position. He would also deal with tho "crawling and cringing" methods adopted by some persons under the cloak of unionism.

Mr R. Mcßae stated that he was there to tell the absolute truth. The employers had been given an opportunity of being present and asking questions, but evidently they preferred to stay away. One of the reasons that the meeting had been called was that an official of the Meat Company had given them to understand that nothing could appear in the local newspapers unless it had been perused by the company. "If wo can't get a fair deal through the newspapers," said Mr McEae, "then all I can say is, that they are a lot of gutter snipes.""" Ho asked if the statement made by the official was true. (The newspaper representatives present made no response.) Mr MeRae then proceeded to deal with the trouble that had occurred at the Waingawa works. Ho alleged that an agreement had been entered into between the workers and tho company, and this had been faithfully regarded by 'the employees. Mr Cooper had, however, on a recent occasion, stated that the agreement was not worth the paper it was written on. Tho workers did not object to the employers as men, hut they did object to their methods as a class. They were not fighting the local employers, but the Employers' Association. The | employers were a lot of Japanese, acrobats. Mr Mcßae pointed out that tho original' agreement between the company and the men was supposed to have been kept secret. So far as tho men wore concerned, tho strictest secrecy was observed. But somehow tho Wanganui people heard that the local agreement was a "crook one," at:d sent down for a copy of it. Mr Cooper had denied having given the information, but he Jnust be held responsible for the action or those under him. Mr Mcßao alleged that somebody had been guilty of a breach of faith.' He then referred to unionist- having been put off the works and non-unionists being put on in their place, and this in face of the tact ■ that 'there was supposed to be preference to unionists. Mr Cooper had said he would put on any man he knew to bo a good-worker, instead ot fifty men whom he did not know, and who claimed to be unionists. Is that preference to unionists? asked Mr McEae. About Easter time one of the men had been told, "if you are not here to-morrow, somebody , will be put on in your place. A meetiiv had been called, and the man makinji this threat had been compiled to withe!raw his words. r Tim was the start cf the alleged vietinUaHou. From this time on the riien had been "chipped at." This was the boginnine: of- the vietimisaton cf the two men Smith and Bruer, who because they were absent from work, not having been notified that there was anv work to be done, were dismissed.' Those "hirelings" down there one of whom is a noted scab, stood saw them go out, although a vote was taken at the works to decide whether they should stand bv the two men who were discharged. The result of this vote was. that Ji voted in favour of supporting the men, and one against. "The latter was afraid to vote otherwise," and yet afterwards twenty of these men turn- , ed round and voted that they should not belong to the organisation because if thev did they would get the sack. "We don't want sympathy, the speaker continued, but there are a number of families depending upon this victimisation. And the worst part of it is, we have no chance ot redress, as there are too many hirelings at the beck and call of the boss " No unionist is safe while men like "these are at large They were . dictated to by Mr Reardon, who got j them to join another union. lhey , were afterwards called, "scabs by tho verv union they joined. Ihe position was similar to that at Wailn, but thev intended to go' down tightin<* Mr Mcßae referred to resolu- | tions passed at two meetings dealing with the question, the resolutions bci In"" published In the local press, 1 hemembers of the "scab" union at Wai--1 ngawa said that he (Mr Mcßae) had 1 squared the reporter to put the re- ! solution in print to suit his own ends. .This was not so. The position now | was that the men at Waingawa were ' controlled by the heads of the union at Wellington, who never see tho mrfn. When one worker comes to taking the bread out of another I worker's mouth, as is the case with these ben at Waingawa it is very near time for the justification of bomb- , throwing. If a man asks for a job, ' ho is told that he may have a job.. if he has nothing to do with a union. Mr Mcßae concluded by stating that i he did not want any resolution passed. It would not be safe for anyone present to. move a resolution, as it . might get to the "boss's" ears and victimisation would follow Every man wanted to be at work, but he adI vised them not to rub shoulders with •the "hirelings" who were there now. ■■ If the employers choose to lock the i men out for an indefinite time, it is I all right, but let the men stop work I for ten minutes to discuss any gnevi once, and they are accused of striking. Many of the workers had t-Oid him that thev were afraid to come to the meeting. He did not blame them for trying to keep their jobs. Ihe speaker said that the union was not up against the small farmer, whom they wished to assist. He might state that for every small farmer holding shares in the Wellington Farmers JMeat Company there were ten big 'ones and the little ones would no 'made to suffer at the hands of the larger holders. A number of questions dealing with the victimisation question were asked and dealt with..by Mr Mcßae. A vote of thanks to the speaker was carried, by acclamation, and this, .terminated the meeting.