Full text: Our industrial problems

12 
Some employers can grant better terms, 
pay and conditions than can others. Why 
then should not their ewplovees share in 
their prosperity, instead of being kept on 
a par with those working for a struggling 
concern. 
By individual bargaining the various 
units cau arrange their own conditions, 
pay ‘increases, ete., irrespective of the flat 
rates at present laid down, and labour us 
a whole would be the gainer, whilst the 
class they profited from would be the 
class who could afford to pay. 
The arbitrators shonld have the power 
to inspect everythiyg likely to throw a 
light on the finances of the employer, ace 
cess to income tax returns, balance sheets. 
phe. 
Breaches ‘of agreement. enforcement 
sases, ete., should be dealt with as at pre- 
sent. 
(4) That the constitutions of the unions 
provide that:i— 
(a), Power to vary, renew, and final 
ise agreements be vested in the sec- 
retary and executive. 
{b) That a secret ballot be taken be- 
fore any strike be entered upon. 
The only penalty I consider as justified 
in arbitration law, apart from the en- 
tarcoment cases. wold be imprisoument 
Our Industrial Problems. 
for the sceretary and exccutive where a 
strike is entered into without a secret 
ballot, and imprisowment for an employer 
who introduces a lockont, unless on the 
approval of the arbitrator appointed by the 
Court. 
Strikes enst  Awnstralia mote than 
droughts, and if the worker has the secret 
pallot, the only strikes will be justifiable 
NNER. 
To sum up then, the duties of the Court 
will be such that thes can devote conside 
erable time to obtainiug useful informa- 
tion by travel throughout the State, ob- 
servation, and facts from the Statistical 
Department enabling thew to periodically 
issue the minimum rates of pay for all 
callings, and this without calling for evi- 
dence in open Court. They would deal 
with these broad issues only, and each 
small unit of workers, protected against 
exploitation, could endeavour to advance 
by the merits of their own case, not 
dragging the drones aiter them, nor being 
pushed back by the opportunists on 
front. 
To prevent Bolsheviem ever taking 
firm root, every worker should be a poten- 
tial capitalist himself, and the lines indi. 
cated lead to that end. 
£ 
«THE WEST AUSTRALIAN” 
in proportion to 
Population 
has the 
Largest Circulation in the Commonwealth.
	        
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