LABOUR IN MADRAS 139 RECOGNIZE THE UNION I am sure that if a promise was given to the Company that the Tramwaymen's Union would be disbanded, we would have had some result already in the shape of certain offers from the Company. If the Company will not recognize the Union, who is going to interfere ? The President of the Union has got no reply and he sits quiet, doing his work with men who have struck work. There have been no tramcars running for the last fifteen days in the City of Madras (shame), and the Government of Madras looks on, and all that we have had of official interference was a little talk at the last meeting of the MADRAS CORPORATION -talk which came to nothing. Are we going to tolerate this kind of indifference on the part of officials who do not use Tramways for their work ? Are we going to tolerate this kind of apathy on the part of Municipal officials and authorities? We therefore ask the Goveroment to interfere and devise some kind of machinery which may operate in all cases of difficulties, before the difficulties become acute and result either in lock-out or strike. The best method we know from experience is the FORMATION OF ARBITRATION BOARDS. Any party - which objects to an arbitration board admits that the wrong is on its side. If the employer objects to an arbitration board, it is clear that the em• ployer is in the wrong and is afraid to go to arbitration, which is impartial and just. If the labourer does not want an arbitration board the case of the labourer must necessarily be weak. The formation of arbitration boards where representatives of both sides
