*THE
WORKER*
Brisbane,
January 19, 1895.
HUGHENDEN
BRANCH AMALGAMATED WORKERS' UNION.
Secretary's
Report.
December
14th 1894.
To
the Members of the A.W.U., Hughenden Branch.
Fellow
Unionists, – I beg to submit to you my report for the past year.
The
most important event was the strike, which, I regret, did not
terminate in so satisfactory a manner as could be wished by us. The
instructions given by you to your committee were carried out to the
letter and the fact that the strike was not lost, but a drawn battle
in this district, is sufficient proof that your committee was right
in not calling on you to resist the encroachments of the Employers'
Association till the beginning of the general shearing.
The
strike lasted almost three months and resulted in your having, at
some stations, to accept the reduction of 6s. per week in the wages
of labourers.
Several
employers in this district gave in to your terms and the majority of
those who held out against you did so on account of a feeling of
loyalty to the union they belonged to rather than on account of the
claims you made.
Your
claims were reasonable and just, but reason and justice are,
unfortunately for the colony, not considered by the Pastoral
Employers' Association. You have the satisfaction of knowing that you
have disorganised the Employers' Association and have brought the
Government of Queensland into, if possible, greater disrepute than it
has ever been held before.By your determined action you forced the
Government to pass what is called the Peace Presservation Act, but
which is in reality an act to prevent you from doing what you have a
perfect legal right to do, i.e., unite to better your condition.
By
this act you are practically outlawed. Any very inferior Government
offical can arrest and imprison you without trial. You can be robbed
of your property and some of you have been deprived of the means of
obtaining a livelihood. This, in a young and an alleged free country,
and a country which has no less than seventeen Labour members in
Parliament who had to be ejected from the House before this
diabolical Peace Preservation Act could be passed. The question is
what sort of treatment would you receive if you had no one in
Parliament to look after your interest? Fortunately for us all the
men who represent Labour in Parliament are men of action, and they
will not allow you to be outlawed without trying to know the reason
why. I would here like to remind you that strenuous efforts are being
made by the employers to prevent your having anyone to represent you
in the next Parliament, and to warn you that unless you do your best
to get your names on the roll and keep them there your enemies will,
after the next election, have you completely at their mercy.
I
regret to have to inform you that an action at law has been taken by
one Ryan, a carrier, which will probably cause you considerable
expense. It appears that Ryan had some potatoes and onions at Winton,
and as he could not dispose of them he gave them to the men in the
Winton strike camp. Some time afterwards he billed the union for £48
15s. Being at the rate of £20
a ton for potatoes and £25
a ton for onions. As I had nothing to show that this was owing by the
union, and as I considered , and do so still, that the charge was
exorbitant, I refused to pay this amount on your account. The result
was that a Supreme Court writ was issued on your trustees and me, and
the case will come before the Supreme Court in March next. (This case
has since been settled.)
In
reference to the store, which your committee decided to continue
after the strike, it gives me great pleasure to be able to
congratulate you on the fact that, in spite of many obstacles, there
is a profit of over £50.
Taking into consideration that this is the first attempt you have
made in this direction, and that you have only been in business since
the 1st
of October last, I think the result will be considered satisfactory.
At
the same time I would like to point out that in order to carry this
scheme out successfully it is necessary to have money, and as we have
very little to spare I would suggest that we apply for a loan from
members only of say £300
at 4 per cent per annum interest for one or two years to enable us to
extend our operations. If these steps were taken I feel convinced
that we should quickly get the required amount of money, more
especially as a large number of men who have a few pounds have lost
all confidence in the baking institutions of this colony. The
investment would be good and sound, and the union would guarantee the
repayment of the loan. This matter requires your earnest
consideration. In the event of your deciding to continue the store it
will be necessary to employ an assistant. At present the amount of
business would not, in my opinion, warrant the employment of a man. A
boy with some knowledge of store work would be sufficient. I wish
here to record my thanks to A.G. Patterson for the valuable assistant
given me with the store accounts. There is a slight decrease in the
membership this year, but this is accounted for by the strike. The
amount of money collected is in excess of last year.
There
has been some talk amongst members re
paid
organisers, and it would be as well to discuss this matter. Since the
closing of the books on 30th
November I have been receiving money for tickets which does not
appear in the statement of receipts. I have also received some unsold
tickets. Some sheds had not cut out by that time. Some of the
delegates seem to have forgotten that the financial year ends on the
last day of November. I would again suggest to you the advisalbility
of establishing a reserve fund, and it has been suggested to me, and
I think the idea a good one, that that a levy of say 6d. per thousand
on all sheep and a certain amount per week on all sheep and a certain
amount per week on all weekly work be struck. This, of course, to be
distinct from the annual subscription, and as those who did the most
work would pay the most money it would be fair to everyone.
With thanks to
agents, delegates and members generally for the assistance given me,
and hoping that next year will be one of peace, but in the event of
the employers desiring war, trusting that you will be ready and
willing to give them what they desire,
I remain,
Yours faithfully,
W. C. Curtis
Secretary.
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