29 
OUR INDUSTRIAL ‘PROBLEMS. 
By “Arthurian” (J. C. WATERS, 18 Tima-grove, Elwood, Victoria.) 
How shall we solve our industrial prob- 
(ems? 
That question is exercising to-day, move 
than at any other time in history, the 
minds of all thoughtful persons. Indus- 
trial strife plugs progress as effectually as 
does a glacier the gnlly of a mountain. It 
means lower productivity, which, in turn, 
means higher prices. It brings misery and 
suffering into thousands of workmen's 
homes. It does nobody in this country any 
zood, and enables our competitors in 
other countries to undersell us in every 
department, althongh man for man the 
Australian workman is the eaual of any 
in the world. 
Academie theories on the subject of in- 
dustrial peace are as plentiful as black- 
berries in season. They are expounded 
from every soap box in the Commonwealth, 
but, in spite of them, strikes continue to 
occur with irritating frequency. It is easy 
enough to draw up a formula for the pre- 
vention of strikes. - The difficulty is in 
prescribing a remedy that both parties 
will be willing to take. In other words, 
the only worth-while plans for bringing 
about a better and more amicable under- 
standing between Capital and Labour are 
those which are within the realm of prac 
Heal polities. 
“Man te Man” Discussions. 
As our first step along the pathway of 
progress and harmony ‘we should scrap 
the Arbitration Court. It would be un- 
just to describe the court as a failure. The 
lot of the Australian unionist -has heen 
appreciably improved -as the result of its 
operation. But it has served its purpose, 
and in recent: years it has failed signally 
to prevent strikes or to settle them. Mr. 
W. M. Hughes declared in 1922, when he 
was Prime Minister, that not only was 
the system of arbitration cumbrous and 
unsatisfactory, but it was very question- 
able whether it did not breed more strikes 
{han it scttled.. That view is held gener- 
ally to-day, The unions now approach the 
Court on the “Heads I win tails you lose” 
principle; An award that does. not give 
them the concessions they demand is dis- 
obeyed. That breeds antagonism, 
How much better would it be to have 
what might be termed Peace Tribunals 
5m each industry, with representatives 
~~ 
il 
from both sides, and having full legal 
authority to enforce. decisions. A method 
of round table conferences on minor mat- 
ters would ensure smooth working. Re- 
presentatives of employers and employees 
would meet in an atmosphere conducive 
to reasonable bargaining. Hostility would 
disappear as each side put its point of 
view and showed how pin-pricking methods 
could be abandoned to the benefit of all 
concerned, This is not supposition; it is 
proved up to the hilt by official statisties. 
in 1926, for example, 166 strikes were set- 
tled by direct negotiation as against only 
13 by the Federal Arbitration Court. /In 
1925 the figures were: —Direct negotiation, 
200; court intervention. 13. In 1924 the 
jgures were 264 and 12 respectively. 
Prevention Better Than Cure. 
These figures speak for themselves. They 
say to the thinking and progressive lead- 
ers of industry:—“If we can scttle these 
disputes by intervention after they have 
happened, why not, in the name of com- 
mon-sense, cannot we get together before- 
hand to prevent disputes?” 
“When the round table conference or 
Peace Tribunal failed—probably through 
the obstinacy of an individual on one side 
or the other—no strike should be per- 
mitted without a seceret ballot. With the 
secret ballot the hothead would not have 
it all his own way. The unionists wife 
inows what a strike means. She has ex- 
perienced the misery of being unable to 
provide her children with proper susten- 
ance. Bring her influence to bear upon 
the issue, and we may be sure that rash 
action will not be decided upon without 
deep thought being given to the conse- 
Juenees! 
Piecework and Co-partnership. 
The general adoption of some form of 
piecework is highly desirable. Some union 
leaders regard the system with suspicion. 
But its effectiveness cannot be denied, If 
ensures high production, aud it can easily 
be safeguarded against abuse. It is a 
stimulant to the efficient, who often lack 
an incentive to do their best under the 
wage system.. In the DPelaco factory in 
Victoria, to quote one notable example, 
the employees work fewer ‘than’ wages 
board hours, and carn more than wages 
ooard pay. The employer gains an ad- 
zantage in 4 reduction of overhead charges. 
and the public gets cheaper shirts. 
4 Van and road “The W acter Mail’