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LABOR NEWS
GRAND COUNCIL OF UNIONS.
More the business of the conference of;
Trades unions was concluded at the
Trades: Hall last week a second ballot was
taken in order to set a provisional corn
raised to carry out the initial work of
the counciL it revelled in the appoint
meat of Messrs. F. W- Birrell -I. Bunref*,.
31 F. Carr, W. P. Harrison. V. M. Standish,
W. Harvey. A. R. Xpck, F. Jackson,
L. L. Hill. J- K. Stop«1!*, Lang, F.
W. Lundie', J. C. Gleeson, K. H. Pope, and
A. J. Beresford. The committee met
afterwards and elected the ktUowing old
eer«:-^*biirr:nan. Mr. Lundie; vice-chairs
plan, Mr. Standish: secretary, Mr. Birre"!
TRAMWAY OFFICERS' ASSOCIATION.
The. first meeting of the ww copies of
the South Australian Railway Officers' Association
was held last week. The President
(Mr. T. Green, M.P.) welcomed new
members of council who, in replying, con.
gratulated him upon his appointment,
it was reported that no reply had been
received from the Railways Ctotrmwsioncr
to the questions submitted to him by the
deputation which waited upon him on
April 3. It was pointed out that not only
those requests, but several other matters
placed before Mr. Moccricif from time to
time were unanswered. It was resolved
that the Commissioner br> again an
5no.ichttL A letter was received from the
r rallies Association a skin of the co-operation
of the association in their request to have
the word "status-"' struck out of the qualifications
for promotion in regulation 25.
It was resolved to send representatives to
a suggested conference A letter, was received
from the Enginedrivers','. Firemen's,
and Cleaners' Association asking for the
appointment of delegates to attend a conference
of railway associations to discuss
the question of subsist allowances, and
delegates were appointed. A claim from
a member for long-service leave, which had
been refused on account of an alleged
break in his continuous service, was referred
to a subcommittee.
UNION FACTORIES ADVOCATED.
Speaking at the conference of Trades
Unions in Adelaide last week, Mr. H F.
Carr (Electrical Workers' Society) advocated
union factories. He said the defeat
of the Federal referendum proposals had
prevented the Commonwealth Parliament
from nationalising industries'. He contended
that under private enterprise the producer
EC'ldom got a fair deal, and consequently
the consumer had to pay dearly for his
requirements. The middle men, who made
enormous profits, were "loafers." Al
though they would have some difficulty in
getting the scheme through owing to opposition
from the Employers' Federation,
expected they would eventually win
He moved That the secretary write to
all affiliated unions asking for the appointment
of delegates to a conference in the
Trades Hall to formulate a scheme, where
by the combined unions may enter into
competition with private enterprise in the
cAtaolishmeot of flour mills, bakeries, and
milk depots, the products to be sold direct
to consumers at a reasonable price sufficient
to cover working expenses, and to establish
a fund for the other branches of
industry as the committee may decide,
from time to time; delegates to be given
power to support a federal scheme if considered
necessary." Mr. J. G. White (Port
Pirie Trades and Labor Council) seconded
? the motion, which, at his suggestion, was
amended by adding the words "That the
provisional committee of the grand council
should take the matter into consideration.''
The motion was carried.
ENGINEDRIVERS AND FIREMEN.
, A motion, '"That all enginedrivers, fire-
men, greasers, and trimmers be consols
. dated in the Federated Enginedrivers" and
Firemen's Association," was submitted by
Mr. J. C. Gleeson at the conference of
Trades Unions in Adelaide last week. The
motion was seconded by Mr. W. Hawkes
and carried. a ]
SADDLERY TRADES' EMPLOYES. Members
of the Saddlery Trades' Employes'
Union have found the trade in Ade-
laide somewhat dull for some time past,
chiefly owing to the free introduction of
motor-driven vehicles, which have largely
supplanted horses. At the last meeting of
the union one member applied for a clearance
on the ground that he was leaving
Adelaide owing to slackness of trade, and
four others sought to be placed on the
half subscription list, as they were working
short time. The secretary read a letter
stating that the trade was not brisk in
Melbourne. The election of officers re-
sulted: President, Mr. J. Young; vice
? resident, Mr. H. James; treasurer, Mr.
Richter; trustees, Messrs. Rochford, Morrissey,
and Hughes; secretary. Mr. A. E.
Pittman; delegates to the United Labor
Party, Messrs. J. Copper and J. D. Law.-
rence.
TELEGRAPH MAINTENANCE EMPLOYES.
The "Common wealth Gazette" states
that an application for registration as an
industrial organisation under the Commonwealth
Arbitration and Conciliation Act
has been lodged by the Australian Telegraph
and Telephone Construction and
Maintenance Union.
REMEDY FOR STRIKES.
The Co-operative Union of Victoria held
its first meeting at the Melbourne Trades
Hall on Thursday evening, 35 industrial
unions and four co-operative societies being
represented. The election of office-
bearer resulted as follows:-President, Mr.
J W. Bryan (Typographical Society);
vice-president, Messrs. Cook (Meat industry
Employes' Union), and li. Purkiss;
treasurer, Mr. W. P. Brown (Clerks'
Union); hon. secretary. Mr. R. Stewart
(Victorian Railway Union Mr. J. H.
Schoefield. chairman of the Lowan Farmers'
Society, said co-operation must come
in the war future, a? strikes and lockouts
were forces too expensive and wasteful to
be tolerated much longer. He was surprised
(says the "Age") that trade unionists
had not used more extensively the
great palliative of co-operation. What was
the use of increased wages when the employers
raised the prices against the con-
sumer? The consumer had to pay double
as much for produce as the farmers received
for it. Was there anything to prevent
the farmers and the workers from co
operating to put a stop to such a state of
things.
BOILER-MAKERS' PAY IN VICTORIA.
The Victorian Boilermakers' Wages
Board has drawn up and submitted to the
Factories and Shops Department a new determination,
which will come into force
next month. The award provides that the
wages of boilermakers s shall vary- between
£5 187 per week of 48 hours for work
under ordinary conditions, to £7 167 in
cases where the temperature is over 100
deg. The pay of laborers in the trade
will, under the determination, run from
£2 8/ a week under the best conditions, to
£6 when the work has to be done in a
temperature of over 130 deg. Other em
horses working on boilers will receive a
oin im am of £3 6 a week.
MUSICIANS' UNION LOG.
Mr. Arthur J. Davidson, secretary of the
Victorian Musicians' Union, made a statement
on Saturday in regard to the position
as to the new log of wages recently
drafted. For certain reasons, said Mr
Davidson, to a Melbourne "Herald' reporter,
the union applied for a new to
and a copy of this log was served on J. C.
Williamson, Limited. This firm then an
lied to the court and obtained an injunc-
tion against the introduction of the new
log. as far as the employes of J. C. Wil
hanison. Limited, were concerned, the lea-
ton being that an agreement already existed
between the two parties. Themat
XT would come before the court to be re
heard in Sydney, about the end of this
month. Such action, however, would only
affect the case as against J. C. William-
son, Limited, and not other employers.
Die copies of the new loan would be served
next week upon all] employers of union
-Russians other than the firm named.
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