Omaha daily bee., 1910-05-29
PROVING A GREAT SUCCESS
Friendly Settlement of Labor Dis
Dutes Under Canada's Anti
Strike Law.

Because OF the success which Canada
has enjoyed in settling without strikes, the
class OF labor disputes which now disturb
industry IN the United States, the opinion
of Mr.. w. L. Mackenzie King, Dominion
minister of labor, was sought. Mr.. King
is credited with being the real author Of
the Lemieux Industrial Disputes act, which
was adopted when he was deputy minister,
under the Hon. Rodoiphe Lemieux.
This act provides, in brief, that It shall
be Illegal for employees Of a public utility
or mine to strike or their employers to
order a lockout until the issue between
them shall have been investigated by a
board on which each OF the disputant bod
les shall have a representative and which
shall be headed by an impartial third. 1t
Is the duty on the board having ascer-
tained the facts, to seek an amicable settle-
ment Of the controversy. This falling, 1t
makes public report, in which the is
sues are made known in plain language.
After that the men may strike If they
wish.
In New Zealand they have compulsory
arbitration and the binding of the arbi-
ters are enforceable at law. In Canada
public opinion is relied upon to compel an
equitable settlement
employees concerned in settlements under
the Canada act" said Mr.. King, ''in the
vicinity Of $1,000. and that tho saving in
wages ALONE in consequence of the meas
ure has amounted to more than $500, 900
What has been saved to employers In the
way of profits and to the community in q
thousand and one ways 1t is impossible to
estimate $4,000 year would cover the
total cost of administration of this act.
I'VE nave had more than eighty boards
under the law, and in no case, so far as
know, has any company suffered any
hardship through facts connected with
it's business becoming public as a conse
quence Of the investigation.
The fact also is that in seventy -four
cases out Of eighty the workingmen were
agreeable to accepting the finding Of thu
board and did not strike afterward, though
they were at perfect liberty to do so, 4
the result Of the Investigation had not beer
| satisfactory.
'As matter of fact the Dominion
Trades and Labor congress, which repre-
sents most of tho labor organizations Il
the Dominion, endorsed the measur
strongly from the outset, and has neve
changed its opinion. In fact, it has re
peated Its endorsement at each annual ses
sion.
The measure has gained steadily 4
favor with railway employees, and 1 hav
at the moment assurances from legislativ
Representatives OF practically all the rail
way brotherhoods that with one or tw
amendments OF which 1 have given motto
In Parliament and which will likely b
passed this session, the measures will b
wholly satisfactory to them.
Eat present, the act applies only to in
dustries In the nature of public utilities, az
for example, railways, telegraphs, telt
phones, etc, mines, civic employees and tn
like. Strong representations have bee
made to the government by both employ
ers and workingmen in other industries
have the measure extended to all. Wei
1t a state or provincial measure this woul
: be q simple enough matter, but where
) applies, as does the present act, to II
whole OF the Dominion, a step of this kin
means much In the way Of increased admir-
/: istration. Nevertheless, the governmeI
4 is considering a limited extension, and
j have no doubt that within the cours
of few years this extension will be /
strongly demanded by both labor an
, capital that wider application win b.
come inevitable.
: How effective this act has been will
apparent from the fact that since 1t wei
Z; into force with the exception OF a stril
. OF machinists on the Canadian Pacif
9 railway. which was after board hs
!: been established and which did not ser
ously affect transportation, We have n
had a single strike on any OF the railwa!
J. Of the Dominion. Neither has there BET
a strike on any OF the street railway
J. though before the measure was enact'
= not year passed without one or two sci
Gus street car strikes. We have had Sc
= eral boards In connection with street ra
J: way disputes. and all have worked o
3 satisfactorily. The measure has be-
n equally effective In mines. In q few cas-
Is where the findings OF the board have n
been accepted all. without exception. Ia
had to do either in whole or In part wi
q the question OF union recognition. Ne
5 York Herald.
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