WAIKATO HYDRO STRIKE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 68, Issue 145, 1 April 1948, Page 4

WAIKATO HYDRO STRIKE

Men Fear Prolonged Strike LABOUR PARTY LOYALTY REAFFIRMED CP. A.) WELLINGTON, March 31. V $ Plain speaking between the Government and some of its loyal trade union supporters can be expected when the national officials of the Federation of Labour and the N.Z. Workers’ Union go up to Parliament Buildings this week to ask for Government action tor a settlement of the Mangakino hydro-electric works dispute

Nine hundred public works men at Mangakino will have been on strike for three weeks at midnight to-night, but there is still no prospect of a settlement of the dispute, their objection to the transfer of their local union secretary (Mr L. Claplmm). Union officials fear the Government has determined to fight a war of attrition against the strikers, and that this will prolong the dispute indefinitely. The Mangakino branch of the Labour. Party has fold the Government that, although Mr Clapham is a professed Communist, the current dispute is being conducted in defence of a trade union principle and not for the furtherance of Communist objectives. The branch has asked the Government not to bring a political issue into the dispute. Tentative arrangements have been made for the Prime Minister (the Rt.. Hon. P. Fraser) and the Minister of Works (the Hon. R. Semple) to go to the Waikato power works next weekend. If they do go, frank discussions as between members of the one political party will take place.

Union Statement

Mr Carl Hair, general secretary of the New Zealand Workers’ Union, said to-night: “Let it be clearly understood that .the policy of the union is support of the Labour Party. National officers of the union are known throughout the trade union world as anti-Communists. The vast majority of the men who supported the resolution to cease work are the same. This struggle is very definitely. not being waged to advance Communism or Communist policy. It is being waged over a trade union principle, and men who have no truck with Communism are nevertheless sturdy supporters of the principle at stake. They would take the same action Irrespective of the politics of the representative concerned.”

Mr Hair said the Mangakino strike was the only major stoppage of work in which the union had been involved since 1931, when tunnel parties on many jobs throughout New Zealand stopped work in protest at wage'cuts. The first eight lists of promises of financial support for the strikers have bee nreceived at the national office from Auckland jobs and meetings of members at Kaitoke, Featherston, Trentham, Gracefield, and Glenside have pledged their said. The N.Z. Transport Workers’ Federation . has also given jts support. Money is being forwarded to strikers and their families who have been without pay over Easter.