TEMPORARY STATE EMPLOYEES

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22768, 21 July 1939, Page 3

TEMPORARY STATE EMPLOYEES

FEDERATION OF LABOUR’S POLICY AFFILIATION WITH EXISTING UNIONS URGED CFBES3 ASSOCIATION TELEGSAiI.) WELLINGTON, July 20. To make clear to all concerned its attitude and policy regarding the organisation of temporary workers in the Government service, the New Zealand Federation of Labour made the following statement: “The conditions of these workers being inferior both to those established in awards and to those of the permanent Government servants, a number of them, notably clerks, approached the federation early this year, with a request that some action should be taken for them. The federation, therefore, at a conference with the Minister for Labour on June 14 stated its policy that temporary workers in the Government service should, where possible, join the existing trade unions covering their class of work.

“The organisation of all workers.inside and outside Government employment in unions according to the industry in which they are engaged is the objective of the Federation of Labour, for only thus can the workers who happen to be employed by the Government secure the fullest benefits of their association with the trade union movement, and with their fellow workers in their various industries under other employers. “In' pursuance of this policy, the New Zealand Clerical Employees’ Association has advised its constituent unions to admit to membership temporary clerks in the Government service, and a considerable number of them, particularly in Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedin, have joined. Further progress, however, may be somewhat delayed by the setting up in Wellington of a new organisation in opposition’ to the expressed policy of the Federation of Labour,

“Clearly the power of the federation to forward the interests of temporary Government servants is influenced by the amount of support thay are prepared to give it, and should a section of them persist in opposing the policy of the Federation of Labour, its representations for all temporary workers may be to that degree weakened. So all temporary workers in the Government service should decide whether they do or do not want the assistance of the trade union movement. Since it is realised that the majority of them do not understand the position, officers of unions affiliated to the Federation of Labour will very readily explain it to them, or attend meetings, or even convene them, if invited to do so. “Claims for improved conditions have already been drawn up at meetings of temporary workers in various centres, and these will be placed before a conference of representatives of organisations and departments concerned, which the Minister for Labpur has undertaken to convene as soon as possible. “While the federation is ready and anxious to help them, the temporary workers must realise that the best and speediest results can be obtained only if they will put their whole organised strength behind the trade unions and the Labour movement."