The Hon. W. W. Vivian (Dinorwic Quarries). Mr. Alexander Siemens (President, London Association of Engineering Employers). Mr. George Livesey (Chairman, South Metropolitan Gas Company). Mr. T. F. Rider (President, National Association of Master Mr. G. A. Laws (General Manager, The Shipping Federation). It appears that it was not the intention of the Committee to make any public announcement of the formation of the Association until such time as the organization had been completed, and the whole body of employers and employers' associations in the United Kingdom had become federated with it. But, owing to the action of some unknown person connected with one of the firms to whom particulars of the Association had been sent in strict confidence, a certain “Labour” paper obtained possession of private and confidential circulars, and, as might be expected, took the first opportunity to publish the same. A statement of the "Objects and Rules" of the Free Labour Protection Association is appended. The Association has a great and important work before it, and it is earnestly to be hoped, in the interests of that personal right of every man to labour for whom, for what wages, and for as many hours as he likes, that it will succeed in giving effect to the objects it has been established to promote. I may add, in conclusion, that this little work has not been published at the instigation of the Free Labour Protection Association. The greater portion of it was written three months before the Association was formed, although it has been brought up to date by the insertion of matter relating to within four days of the first issue. One member only of the Association was aware of the existence of the work before it was actually published. The writer and the publishers alone are responsible for the book and its publication. September 7th, 1897. W. J. S. PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. vii APPENDIX:-Objects and RULES OF THE ASSOCIATION. THE FREE LABOUR PROTECTION ASSOCIATION. OBJECTS. 1. To test systematically the efficiency, or otherwise, of the existing laws for the protection of Non-Unionists, and, if necessary, to obtain an amendment of such laws. 2. To watch all strikes, and ensure the observance of the law in all disputes between employer and employed. 3. To oppose all legislation injuriously affecting the trades and industries of the United Kingdom. 4. To seek the attainment of these objects through the corporate action of the Association by the federation of (a) employers, whether individuals, firms, or corporate bodies; (b) existing or future Employers' Associations for the protection of separate interests; and in such ways as shall at any time appear necessary or desirable. RULES. 1. The Association shall consist of individual members paying annually not less than £1, and of corporate bodies and Associations paying annually not less than £10. Subscriptions shall be due on the Ist of January in each year. 2. There shall be an Annual General Meeting of the members of the Association held in the month of February, and such additional meetings as may be deemed necessary by the Council. 3. The affairs of the Association shall be conducted under the control and supervision of a Council, consisting of not less than fifteen ordinary members elected at the Annual General Meeting of the Association, of whom one-third shall in each year vacate office (in the first and second years according to alphabetical order, and afterwards in their order of election), but who shall be eligible for re-election; and also of the Chairman of each corporate body or association, who shall be ex-officio a member of the Council. 4. The Council shall have power to appoint an Executive Committee and Sub-Committees, and shall do all such acts and deeds as may appear to them necessary to be done for the purpose of carrying into effect the objects of the Association. 5. The Council shall have the sole management of the income and funds of the Association, but shall have no power to bind members beyond the amount of their contributions. The Council shall rende an account yearly to the General Meeting, such account having bee previously audited by a person or persons, not members of the Council, to be annually named by the Council for that purpose. 6. The Council shall be regulated in their proceedings by such byelaws as may from time to time be enacted by them, no established bye-law being in any case altered or a new one proposed without at least one month's notice of such intention being given to each member of the Council. 7. When elected at the Annual General Meeting, the Council shall proceed to choose one of their own number to be Chairman of the Council, and shall also choose a Vice-Chairman to act in his absence; and such Chairman and Vice-Chairman shall hold office for a year, and shall be eligible for re-election. 8. A Secretary of the Association shall be appointed by the Council, and his term of office and remuneration shall from time to time be determined by them. The Council shall likewise appoint and fix the remuneration of clerks and other officials, who shall be removable at the pleasure of the Council. 9. The Secretary shall conduct the general business of the Association under the control of the Council, and shall keep proper accounts of the funds of the Association, which accounts shall be examined from time to time as the Council may direct. 10. The Council shall have power to appoint or remove District Managers or Agents as may seem to them desirable, and the duties and limits of action of such District Managers or Agents shall be prescribed and defined from time to time, and their remuneration determined by the Council. II. There shall be a Treasurer appointed at the Annual General Meeting, who shall be an ex-officio member of the Council. He shall have power at all times to inspect the accounts of the Association, and his signature, together with that of the Chairman, and the countersignature of the Secretary, shall be necessary to all cheques issued by the Association. 12. The Council may appoint Solicitors, and procure legal advice as occasion arises. 66 13. Whenever it shall appear to the Council necessary or desirable that action should be taken with a view to the furtherance of the Objects of the Association, as above defined, the Council shall, if necessary, appeal to the corporate bodies and Associations who are members of the Association for special donations in respect of such action. 14. The Council may, at their discretion, for the information and guidance of members of the Association, issue from time to time reports of the proceedings of the Council, and of actions taken by the Council to carry out the objects of the Association. July 26th, 1897. THE CASE AGAINST PICKETING. I.-WHY PICKETING SHOULD BE MADE ILLEGAL. PICKETING may be defined as coercive argument. In the Labour Commission Glossary the following definition is given: "The act of men standing at the gates of mills, docks, etc., watching those who go in and out, and inducing them to strike work." The Report of the Trade Union Commission said that "picketing" consists in posting members of a trade union at all the approaches to the works struck against, for the purpose of observing and reporting the workmen going to or coming from the works, and of using such influence as may be in their power to prevent the workmen accepting work there. The Report further explained that it is by this system of picketing that the rights of combination are most liable to be interfered with. Section 7 of the Conspiracy and Protection of Property Act, 1875, says: "Attending at or near the house or place where the person resides, or works, or carries on business, or happens to be, or the approach to such house or place, in order merely to obtain or communicate information, shall not be deemed a watching or besetting within the meaning of this Section." This, then, prescribes legal picketing, and it may be said, without exaggeration, that such is not what goes by that name during a strike. That is more accurately described as "legalized intimidation.” Lord Bramwell recognised this when he said in the House of Lords, on March 6th, 1891, that legal picketing would never pay its way. Instances are unnecessary. Every employer and trade union official knows that the actions of a body of excited men gathered outside the premises in which they have just refused to work are by no means peaceful, and that at Common Law indictable offences are committed. But everyone knows, at the same time, the extreme difficulty of arresting even the ringleaders in such a case, and the delay and expense occasioned by committing offenders for trial at Assizes. The value of an Amendment Act will lie in the fact that it will deter rather than punish. The Legislature should definitely say once for all that such gatherings and actions as constitute modern picketing are illegal and punishable. The fear of the law would then coerce into wisdom. The present suggestion to prevent the abuses of picketing, it must be mentioned at the outset, is not directed against freedom of speech, but against the breaking of contracts. It is an endeavour to uphold the sacredness of contracts, whether individual or collective, and to find a suitable means for maintaining their security. And the means we put forward are in no way an infringement of the liberty of any law-abiding subject; |