The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-06-24
PROPOSED LABOR-ARBITRATJON
LAW IN CANADA-The following
report has been received from Consul
General J. L. Bittinger, of Mont

>
The Canadian minister OF labor re-
Gently introduced in the Dominion Par
! lament a compulsory arbitration bill.
$ which, while Of general character ap-
] plies especially to railways and their
employees The measure may be outlined
as follows:
= % Applies to all lines under control
OF acknowledgements or private.
steam. electric. or other power (rafI-
j ways belonging to provinces not IncIud-
ed, except by consent of province). t2)
provides compulsory arbitration OF all
disputes between railways AM en-
rloyes. 80 prohibits strikes and lock
outs and provides penalties: f4} pro-
vides seven provincial arbitration
boards Of three members and one Do
/ fninion board of five members; Isl rail-
ways to eleCr one provincial arbitrator
and two Dominion arbitratOrs. and en-
/ pioyes to elect one provincial arbitrator
and two Dominion arbitTatoTs; TO- IN
! election OF arbit-atOrs, railways to have
! one vote for each employee they pay in
/ the province each emplOye to have one
( vote; % third provincial arbitrator
I chosen by agreement or by the governor
/ IN council; 80 awards to be current for
/ ore year, OF until superseded by another
/ award of same arbitratOr5. No court TO
! have power to review, amend or Quash
awards
/ In introducing his bill, the minister
/ OF labor said:
The railways Of Canada. OF of any
other country, occupy unique position. [
Trouble in any other business affects /
only the employers and the workmeu. [
/ but strike on a railway affects q third 4
and more important Interest. The public [
/ interest being by far the most fmpor- /
taDt, requires the greatest measure Of /
protection. For. this reason. the gov {
eminent has determined to ask Parlia-
Dent to pass a law which would be an
extreme measure to ward of trouble
and delay on railways. Railways are
creatures Of Parliament, and are only
permitted to run because it is n the
public interest they should. When there /
IS strike, the property of q railway
falls into disrepair. the boBdhoIders
suffer. the rail- men themselves suffer.
and the public suffers
The bill proposes to establish a tri-
buna1 which is to use conciliating iu7u-
ences when strikes are threatened. and
failing in bringing the parties 10 an IN
Outstanding by these means, the trfbu-
nal IS clothed by the act with ample
powers 70 undertake arbitration and en- :
force its findings upon the railway cor
poTations and railway employees" I
There are heavy lockout penalties pro-
vided in the bill proposed. A company
declaring a lockout makes itself liable T
to fine equal TO the amount OF wages y
which would have been payable. and in { \
addition must pay 10 each empIoye dou-
bic the wage he would have earned but =
for the lockout Men who 90 out on
strike are liable to be fined double the
wage they would have earned melting
a strike is made unlawful.
. al h0- Of h..
Sas not the intention Of the government
% attempt TO pass the measure this ses-
sion II was proposed TO have II con- 7
;idered for year by all the parties in
crested. and any suggestions for i'm y
3Tcvemeut would be WELDON ed Il is
believed that the bill. prob
lbly amended in some respects will be-
'ome law at the next session OF Par
lament
Commenting on the bill, the Montreal r
Herald" the leading organ Of the Lib g
raj party, said:
he question that naturally arises Is
s to what will happen if either the
cmpanies or the men refuse to abide
y the decision OF the arbitrators Pen I
tiles may be ordered. but how could
hey be enforced against several thou
and men who might decline TO abide BY
decision Of the arbitrators unfolding
'iN e'Nl-eA- VI q ! dlANdF COMPANY N IN
ertaking to reduce the rate of its en- D
loyes' wages? In times of general fol
rosperity this IS an unlikely contin- Dc
ency. but when trade depression pre- SIS
ais It IS by no means improbable It ia
smains to be seen whether the men VIII
2yally abide by the decision Of the 20
ourt, OF viii turn out only the work
hich they think the wage justffes.
Possibly. as in labor disputes gen =
"a Of
III do much toward preserving the
Ithority OF the aTbitrators- II the
)mpanies and the men. under the act
arive advantages when the awards are
their favor. public opinion may have
-cat influence in compelling them TO
7cept the awards when they are unfa-
1rahlo 10 their claims.
1t viii be q decided gain for the
lbliC If a law be passed which will
sure the safe and continuous operation
our railroads. and il the long run
.ere should be advantages to both rail
lad companies and their EMPLOYEES
ore than equal to any disabilities that
icy may feel placed upon them BY the
lTtailTent Of their liberties by com
Iisory arbitration"
The labor unions Of Montreal are Wig
ously discussing the proposed law.
le discussions serve chiefly TO deveIoD
-
cause 1t introduces an entirely new
I'd radical principle into the indus 3
ial legislation of Canada, but because
q consequences arising out Of its adoD-
N are Of far-Te3ching character As -
G revolutionary changes in Industrial
ndltiCns proceed. the conviction grows ,
re that trade unions become less and &
IS able TO effect their ends BY means /
the strike In the maze of arguments /
ged for and against compulsory arbf-II
ltiCn, two things stand out pretty
AMY: First, It is generally admitted
Il the application of the compulsory
.thod Of settling disputes between cap =!
] and labor. not only on railways. but
all forms Of industry, Is inevitable:
J. second, that the Introduction of
5 principle viii tend to harmonic !
relations of capital and labor and !
'mote better understanding of those ! :
tiers wherein the interests of each II |
Identical