UNION RIGHTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 144, 21 June 1939, Page 13

UNION RIGHTS.

PLAINTIFFS NONSUITED.

QUESTION OF MEMBERSHIP.

On one of the noneuit points raised by Mr. A. H. Johnstone. K.C., the suit by ii group of workers in the Chelsea sugar slied to be declared members of the Auckland branch of the New Zealand Waterside Workers' Union in accordance with an arrangement made with delegates of the union in 1937 was nonsuited by Justice Ostler in the Supreme Court yesterday afternoon. His Honor said that he had reluetantlv concluded that the Court could not give plaintiffs such relief as was asked for. He said "reluctantly" because he thought the plaintiffs had shown that by joining this section of the Waterside Workers' Union which had been subsequently abandoned through circumstances of the law changing they had lost their work at Chelsea first preference, and the promise of a living wage which had been made to them had not been fulfilled. On the point raised by Mr. Johnetone his Honor said that the first thing the plaintiff? had to prove was that they bad been admitted as members of the union, but they had failed to prove that. They hud been invited to become members of a subsidiary branch of the union. aii.l were carefully told that in doing so they would not acquire all the privileges of membership. They applied on thici understanding and were admitted a* members of the subsidiary branch, which was not membership of the union. To declare them members of the section which had ceased to exist would not help them. The nonsuit would be granted; witii costs on the middle scale.