SUGGESTED UNION.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 140, 15 June 1936, Page 9

SUGGESTED UNION.

LOCAL BODY EMPLOYEES. CIRCULAR CRITICISED. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. Strong exception to a circular to local bodies by the town clerk at Napier, urging the formation of a Dominion local bodies' employees' union was taken to-day by Mr. P. M. Butler, secretary of the National Federation of Labourers and Related Trades Workers. For many years, said Mr. Butler, the majority of local bodies had been parties to the awards or agreements covering their respective employees, and no serious objection had been lodged to this policy. It had been ruled by the Courts on several occasions that "all in" unions were unnecessary, where there existed an industrial union or unions to which employees .could properly and conveniently belong. "This position still holds," Mr. Butler added, and he contended that the Gov- 3 ernment could be relied upon to see that neither employers nor employees took an unfair advantage of the legislation. He characterised the Napier suggestion' as a "will-of-the-wisp," causing misunderstanding where there need not be any. The circular, he said, suggested action which was contrary to the law and policy of the Government.