"DISTURBING IMPLICATIONS”

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25083, 15 January 1947, Page 7

"DISTURBING IMPLICATIONS”

The special correspondent of the New Zealand Press Association says:—The transport drivers’ strike and its repercussions have confronted the Government and the Transport and General Workers’ Union with a situation which has most disturbing implications. It is recognised that the drivers, by deciding to remain on strike in defiance of the plain advice of their leaders, have confronted the Government and the trade union movement with a challenge to their authority which they cannot ignore. It is also recognised that the calling in of troops, however tactfully the orders may be applied, will inevitably cause sympathy demonstrations and create a grave danger of a general • strike.

The dispute occurred just when the Government had called both trade unions and employers into consultation, with the object of stimulating the export drive and consolidating industrial relations. It also occurred when the Transport and General Workers’ Union had espoused the principle of the closed shop on the ground that 100 per cent, trade union membership within the big union guaranteed union discipline. Inevitably, the dispute has reopened the whole question of the closed shop.

Several newspapers claim that the Transport and General Workers’ Union, with its membership of 1,500,000, is too large and unwieldy to be properly responsive to the griev- ' ances of its component parts. It is pointed opt that the claims on which the present dispute arose were first made three years ago, and that, in spite of plain danger signals ahead, the general executive of the union took no definite steps to deal with the dispute until the men went on strike. “The Times” says: “The red light is how only too evident, and the continuous symptoms of anarchy within certain unions cannot fail to disturb both the Government and the public. If these tendencies spread they may well make nonsense out of the export drive.” Although newspapers are individually critical of various aspects of the handling of the situation, they generally back the Government’s decision to protect the public’s supplies, and they support the efforts of the trade union leaders to exert their authority. The Government and the major trade unions are reported to be unanimous in their decision that the men must go back to work before further consideration can be given to their grievances.