Boot Trade Dispute July 13, 1895.

*THE WORKER*

BRISBANE, JULY 13, 1895.

Boot Trade Dispute.

Eight weeks have passed, and the struggle between the Brisbane bootmakers and the employers still continues. The square is still unbroken, the men standing solidly together in defence of unionism, and offering a stubborn resistance to the low scale of wages and unfair conditions which the employers wish to force upon them. The employers have treated with contempt all efforts at conciliation, and, frustrated in their efforts to fill the places of the men, they seem determined to prolong the struggle and attempt to fulfil their cruel threat of sight weeks ago of starring the men into submission.

The necessity for compulsory arbitration and investigation is shown to be more urgent with every dispute that occurs between employers and employe's. Reckoning the families dependent upon the men now out, there must be fully 1300 persons involved in the present dispute. These men, women, and children may only be a small portion of the community, but their rights to a fair reward for their labour should be considered. The employers number about ten individuals, and those dependent on them about forty; but they stand between the 1300 and the means of existence, and practically say, “You can only live by accepting our terms,” Yet people babble about “freedom of contract.” What freedom do workers enjoy?

Should not the right be conceded, that when employers attempt to force low wages and unfair conditions upon a number of men the men should be able to demand an inquiry as to why the proposed changes are necessary? Should men be treated like dogs and hungrily accept any bone thrown to them and not growl because there's no meat on it? Yet this is the spirit in which workmen are treated in Australia. Apparently a race of slaves would be more suitable for the exploiters of the industries we have in this century.

The self-sacrifice of the Boot Trade Union must command the respect of all. The bribes offered to induce the unionists to break away have all failed. Quietly, yet determinedly, the men have resisted all efforts to break the square, and their splendid behaviour under very trying circumstances speaks well for their organisation. The WORKER can voice the gratitude of the men for the generous assistance already rendered by the public. But we again appeal to all who believe in fair play to still continue to assist and thus enable the bootmakers to obtain living wages and win one of the bravest battles fought for Unionism.

There was considerable excitement at Howard Smith's wharf on Monday night. The Tyrian had been expected to arrive from Sydney early in the day, but it was 8 o'clock at night before she reached the wharf. As usual the Employers' Association and their faithful watchdog were there to prevent any union bootmakers getting on the wharf, but they were outwitted, as several managed to pass them and boarded the Tyrian before Joe Collings made his way to the steerage and introduced himself to the passengers as follows; “I'm Mr. Collings. Are there any bootmakers aboard for me. There's two sent up by Mr. Aldersen from Sydney. I'm Mr. Collings.” The two men Collings was seeking, in company with the unionists who were first aboard, passed him by, and were driven to the Trades Hall. It was fully half an hour before the bosses realised the situation, and as the employers' watching left the Tyrian, the crowd whistled “E dunno where 'e are.”

The employers who turned up to welcome the consignment of “free labour” which came by the Tyrian, looked very crestfallen at the way they were had, and they didn't enter into the fun with the large crowd who had gathered outside the wharf gates. When it was discovered that only two men had come up, and they had gone over to the union, a hearty laugh greeted the bosses, who drove rapidly away amid the discomfiting badinage of the crowd. It's about time they turned up the miserable game of scab recruiting, and came to terms with the four hundred men whose fortitude entitles them to the respect of even their enemies.

The co-operative scheme mentioned in our last issue, after a good deal of discussion, has been adopted by the Boot Trade Union. There is nothing in the world to prevent it being a success, provided the enthusiasm on the subject doesn't die out. There is abundance of skilled labour among the men, who would willingly devote labour to the concern, and there is brains enough in the union to conduct the business quite as efficiently and honestly as any of the present boot manufacturers conduct theirs. When the start is made the bootmakers are assured of the support of the public, and working men will have the satisfaction of standing upright without feeling they are wearing boots made by ill-paid boy labour. The scheme will be printed in our next issue.

Some enemy is circulating in Sydney a rumour that the strike is over, but without effect, as the bootmakers down South are kept well posted with news, and are working very hard on behalf of their Brisbane mates.

A couple of the scabs who came to Brisbane a few weeks ago carry firearms. Whether they have permission to do so is not known. At any rate, it is a dangerous practice. This week one of the said scabs should have been arrested. He has been knocking round town for the past two days in an intoxicated condition, threatening to shoot. Of course the unionists have to submit to this affront. The law which tried to obtain a conviction against one of the unionists for giving out handbills offers no protection against the murderous threats of a drunken scab.

The shearers and shed hands at Katandra station, near Muttaburra, have passed a resolution that “it is desirable the affiliated unions should assist the bootmakers' union to establish a co-operative factory.” It is considered that the affiliated unions should lend the necessary money, and that this money might be repaid the unions (in part, at least), in boots – these boots to be retailed to the members of the unions by the various secretaries. As the general shearing is close at hand a list of prices could be published, orders could be taken by the chairman of sheds, and forwarded through the secretaries of the unions for execution by the co-operative factory. The WORKER commends the above to the notice of unions generally and to the Bootmakers' Union Co-operative Committee, and hopes the latter will soon be able to issue a price list.

One argument why the boot manufacturers should not reduce wages is: Five years ago the price of best heavy sole leather was 101/2d. per lb., other kinds in proportion. A gradual reduction in price every year brought down the price in March, 1895, to 8d. per lb. For heavy sole; other qualities of sole leather selling between 6d. and 8d. The prices of all other descriptions of leather have fallen in proportion, with the single exception of colonial calf, the price of which has not varied much.

T. P. Shanahan, of the Beehive Boot Factory, Bundaberg, with six of his employe's guarantee 11s. per week to the strike fund.