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29Th Annual Report 1923 (PDF 18MB) V( iiA n& Trade TWENTY-NINTH ANNUAL REPORT INCLt'DING THE Report of the National Executive For 1922-1 Am the Proceedn gs of I weiitv-ni h Annual Me the \h and ;t, IVii \of thefi Executive CUAUACC Oitope eijteAtiti if CorhAifite HA Irish Labour Party and Trade Union Congress TWENTY-NINTH ANNUAL REPORT INCLUDING TJJE Report of the National Executive For 1922-1923 And the Report of the Proceedings of the Twenty-ninth Annual Meeting held in the Mansion House, Dublin, 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th August, 1923 Published by Authority of the National Executive 32 Lower Abbey Street, Dublin. TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE, 1923-24 5 REPORT OF THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE, 1922-23 7 MEETINGS, ATTENDANCES AND EXPENSES OF NATIONAL EXECUTIVE, 1922-23 ....... 41 INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT, 1922-23 42 REPORT OF PROCEEDINGS OF THE 29TH ANNUAL MEETING . 43 UNIONS AFFILIATED—WITH MEMBERSHIP, AFFILIATION FEES PAID, SECRETARY, DELEGATES, AND DELEGATION FEES PAID . 108 TRADES' AND WORKERS' COUNCILS AFFILIATED—WITH MEMBERSHIP, AFFILIATION FEES PAID, SECRETARY, DELEGATES, AND DELEGA- TION FEES PAID ....... 120 • PAST CONGRESSES, 1894-1923 122 DAIL ELECTIONS, 1923—ANALYSIS OF VOTING 123 LABOUR MEMBERS OF DAIL EIREANN, 1922-23 AND 1923 124, 125 LABOUR MEMBERS OF SEANAD EIREANN 126 CONSTITUTION ...... 128 STANDING ORDERS ..... • 134 SCALE OF ALLOWANCES FOR NATIONAL EXECUTIVE AND CONGRES- SIONAL OFFICERS . .. .. 138 INDEX OF SUBJECTS ...... 140 PERSONAL INDEX ....... 145 Irish Labour Party and Trade Union Congress National Executive, 1923-1924 ELECTED AUGUST, 1923 Chairman : L. J. DUFFY (Irish Union of Distributive Workers' and Clerks). Vice-Chairman : THOMAS KENNEDY (Irish Transport and General.Workers' Union). Secretary : THOMAS JOHNSON, T.D. (Offices, 32 Lower Abbey Street, Dublin). Treasurer : WILLIAM O'BRIEN (Irish Transport and General Workers' Union). Committee: Miss C. CAHALAN (Irish Union of Distributive Workers and Clerks). DENIS CULLEN (Amalgamated Union of Irish Bakers, Confectioners and Allied Workers). THOMAS FARREN, Senator (Dublin Workers' Council). THOMAS FORANJ Senator (Irish Transport and General Worker*' Union). MICHAEL HILL (Irish Transport and General Workers' Union, Cork). LUKE J. LARKIN (Workers' Council, Waterford). THOS. J. O'CONNELL, T.D. (Irish National Teachers' Organization). JOHN T. O'FARRELL, Senator (Railway Clerks' Association). MICHAEL SOMERVILLE (Amalgamated Society of Woodworkers). ALEX. STEWART (Trades' Council, Belfast). Report of the National Executive for the Year 1922-1923. I. In submitting a report of the year's work we have confined ourselves to giving a plain record of work done, without including recommendations which would be adopted automatically with the adoption of the Report. I.—THE STATE OF THE COUNTRY. 2. In view of the improved conditions of affairs and the state of peace which appears now to have been entered upon, we do not think it advisable to recount in detail the various activities of the Executive, arising out of the strife and warfare of the last year. We feel that the tragedies that would be recalled by re- counting the many activities of the Executive in these matters would tend to excite antipathies and vengeful feelings. We there- fore leave these questions untouched in this report. II.—RELATIONS BETWEEN UNIONS. Amalgamation of Unions. 3. The National Executive invited the Executive of the Irish National Union of Vintners', Grocers', and Allied Trades' Assist- ants to meet them to discjiss a resolution of their Conference asking the National Executive to take steps towards bringing the Unions catering for distributive workers more closely together. The meeting took place on October 8th. The Union deputation explained that their ultimate aim was a single Union to include all distributive workers, but they thought some plan of federation of Unions at present catering for distributive workers would be the best course. They wanted advice and assistance from the National Executive, and had no definite scheme to suggest. The members of the National Executive explained that federation had not generally been successful in leading to unification, and frequently had rather retarded it. It was agreed that the National Executive should consider the matter further, with a vie^y to calling a conference of the Unions concerned at a later date. Inter-Union Disputes. 4. At last year's Congress two resolutions were moved, one by the Irish Postal Workers' Union, and one by the National Union of Railwaymen, both alleging unfair practices on the part of other Unions. After discussion these resolutions were both withdrawn, on the understanding that the National Executive would intervene. POSTAL UNIONS. 5. In the case of the Postal Workers' Union it was found un- necessary for the National Executive to take any action, because, immediately after the cessation of the Postal strike, the several Unions entered into negotiations for amalgamation. This amal- gamation has now been attained, and the Unions concerned are to be congratulated upon the result of their efforts in this respect. NATIONAL UNION OF RAILWAYMEN AND IRISH TRANSPORT AND GENERAL WORKERS' UNION. 6. In this case we append a copy of the report of the Sub- Committee, appointed to hear the case, which was subsequently adopted by the National Executive :— (1) The Committee appointed by the National Executive—• Messrs. L. J. Duffy (in the Chair), M. Somerville, T. J. O'Connell, D. Cullen and Thomas Johnson, Secretary—met representatives of. both Unions on March 22nd, 1923. (2) The N.U.R. was represented by Messrs. Jas. Bermingham, Kavanagh and Kenny, Inchicore. (3) The I.T. & G.W.U. was represented by Messrs. Thomas Foran and Geo. Spain. Mr. Foran arrived after the case had been discussed. (4) The resolution of the N.U.R., submitted to the Trade Union Congress last August (reported, on page 214 of the Congress Report, 1922), formed the terms of reference. (5) All the relevant correspondence in the case was placed before us and the matter therein fully discussed. (6) The cause of the dispute arose out of the fact that two men in particular (Messrs. Noonan and Murphy) who were locked-out at the time of the dock dispute with the L. & N.W. Rly. Co., were unable to obtain employment in jobs controlled by the I.T. & G.W.U. Noonan, who was an unemployed checker, obtained employment at Messrs. Wordie's, and Murphy at Gould- ing's Chemical Works. Both had clear cards in the N.U.R. The N.U.R. contended that, having cards of any Trade Union, men should be entitled to obtain work anywhere. (7) The I.T. & G.W.U. argued that members of their own Union involved in the same dispute were not permitted to take up work in outside firms, and that their Admission Committee were not prepared to permit new men into those jobs while men properly belonging to the job were actually unemployed. (8) Other cases in certain other jobs were cited by the N.U.R. in proof of their contention that the I.T. & G.W.U. were not willing to permit their members to obtain employment in jobs controlled by the latter Union. (9) In our opinion the case advanced by the N.U.R. falls under two heads : (a) That the I.T. & G.W.U. should have permitted Messrs. Noonan and Murphy, because they possessed N.U.R. cards, to obtain employment at Wordie's and Goulding's respec- tively, or alternatively that they should be permitted to continue at work and be accepted on transfer by the I.T. & G.W.U., and (b) that any man with a Union card should be free to work any job, whether his card was issued by the Union controlling the job or not. (10) We have given careful attention to both claims. In respect of the case made on behalf of the two men, Noonan and Murphy, we are satisfied that the I.T. & G.W.U., having prevented their own members who were involved in the L. & N.W. Rly. dispute taking up outside jobs,? had no alternative but prevent members of other Unions, locked out because of this dock dispute, taking up other jobs. No Union involved in a similar dispute would have acted otherwise in the circumstances. To act otherwise would have been fatal, and if it resulted in a stampede amongst the members of its own Union, a likely contingency, would have disastrous effects upon the morale of the men and prejudice their chances of success in their dispute. We, therefore, hold the I.T. & G.W.U. were .fully justified in preventing the men in question taking up work in both Wordie's and Goulding's. (11) As regards the general principle raised in the course of the proceedings set out in paragraph 9 (b) above we must in present circumstances hold with the I.T. & G.W.U. We have not reached a stage, and are not likely to for some time, when a Union can safely permit everybody presenting any Union card to take upajob anywhere. If the principlewas generally admitted it would, in existing circumstances, inflict great hardship on many groups of workers who have, as the result of much sacrifice, obtained a standard of life that they consider essential. It would periodically flood certain callings with workers from other less favourable employments. Many men would prefer to reap the advantages of other people's sacrifice than struggle to raise the status of their own employment. Men who are unwilling to pay more than a few pence a week to their own Union would avail of the claim of the N.U.R. to billet themselves on the efforts of their less selfish comrades, who have, at much personal sacrifice and as the result 16 of great cost to themselves, maintained a fighting Union.
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