CLERKS' QUANDARY

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 302, 21 December 1937, Page 10

CLERKS' QUANDARY

UNION MEMBERSHIP. NEW AWARD APPLICATION. registered organisations. Many clerical workers throughout the Northern Industrial District are said to be in a quandary as the result of an interpretation placed on the application of the award issued last week covering clerical and office staff employees. It wae reported yeeterday that it was obligatory on all employees over the age of 18 years, who are employed in any position covered by the award, to join the Auckland Clerical Workers' Union. It was revealed to-day, however, that a number of industrial organisations are already separately registered as industrial unions—some being covered by their own awards or agreements—although in many cases they have not been specified as exempt from the provisions of the new clerical workers' award. The stock and station agents' employees' organisation was quoted as one instance. According to Mr. I. C. Howard, acting secretary of the Auckland Employers' Association, those workers who are already members of registered unions are under no obligation to join the Clerical Workers' Union as well. It was not correct, said Mr. Howard, to say that all employees over 18 years of age who are employed in any position subject to the award must join the Clerical Workers' Union. Clause 14 of the award made it necessary for such workers to join "an industrial union of workers bound by this award," or "a trade union which was registered as such before the first day of May, 1936, and which is bound by this award." By clause 16, continued Mr. Howard, the iaward was made binding on "every trade union, industrial linkup, industrial association or employer .. who is, when this award comes into force or at any time whilst this award is in force, connected with or engaged in the industry to which this award applies,-within the industrial district *to which this award relates." "Consequently, if an employee is a member of any organisation of the kind specified in clause 10, he has fully complied with the award, and it is not necessary for him to join the Clerical Workers' Union," Mr. Howard concluded.