FIRE BRIGADE UNION

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25516, 9 June 1948, Page 4

FIRE BRIGADE UNION

VOLUNTEERS’ STATUS DISCUSSED

MEN AT SUMNER AND NEW BRIGHTON Members of the Sumner and New Brighton Volunteer Kre ,„ B^ Bad christ! evening maae it clear to the Christ church Fire Board that they regarded their work as a service to the communit* that they wished for nc.remuneration, and that if forced to become members of the h ire Brigade Employees' Union they would resign. At the same meeting Nr L; Glover, of Wellington, secretary of the union, said he did not regard the Sumner and New Brighton men as volunteers, and that tney should be in the union. , . The board, which heard arguments on the subject for almost two hours, decided to seek the opinion of its industrial secretary in Wellington (Mr W. J. Mountjoy) on the scope of the award and whether volunteers could be regarded as part-time workers. The Are board was fully aware of the good work done by the volunteers, said the chairman (Mr T. M. Charters) when he welcomed a deputation from the Sumner and New Brighton brigades. “Personally I feel that the volunteer fire brigades are one of the few links with the past where services were given without thought or recompense,” he added. . “We have no intention of joining the union,” said Mr J. H. O’Neill, captain of the Sumner-brigade.. .‘Mr Glover suggested that if we joined the union we could carry on as we have been doing, but with us it is either in or out. Mr Glover is weakening the morale of our brigade.” Mr O’Neill, when asked by Mr W. P. Glue how the £2OO grant from the board was spent, said there were medals and certificates to be bought each year, travelling expenses to demonstrations and conferences, and other administration expenses. There was no payment for damaged clothes, but members received a boot allowance. Uniforms were provided by the board. No volunteer lost wages because of the time he spent at fires. “We just want to be left alone to carry on as we are doing, provided you are satisfied with us, he added. Volunteers recognised that professional men should have a union, but they did not wish to join the union as there was no benefit in it, said Captain H. Stokes, of the New Brighton brigade. At present they looked on their service as a civic duty, and they did not want to be tied down to so many hours on duty and so many off. Most were already members of unions.

After saying that most of the volunteers would resign if they were forced into joining rhe union, Mr Stokes said: “It can’t be called a strike. If a man does not want to work under an agreement he does not have to. It is still a free country.”

Fire Brigades’ Development Fire brigades were developing and were gradually building up to permanent organisations, said Mr Glover, who entered the meeting after the deputation had left. “I believe a system should not be dumped until it is worn out, but I feel that we are not making the progress we should.” Mr Glover did not agree with Mr J. E. Tait that Sumner and New Brighton firemen were volunteers. He said that the grant they received from the Fire Board created the position of master and servant, which was covered by'the industrial law:; of the country. The union' did not want volunteers as members —it encouraged smaller brigades—but it did want all part-time men who fought fires in built-up areas where there were permanent men. “A couple of little people on the fringe are throwing down a challenge that if they are compelled to join a union they will strike,” said Mr Glover, who added that the union took the strongest possible exception to any persons saying that if they did not get their way they would hand in their uniforms. Mr Tait: David beat Goliath. Mr Glover: I don’t want to be put in a position where I have to fight the insurance companies, the City Council, or the fire board. I want to co-operate, but I have never run away from a fight. Questioned by Mr Glue, Mr Glover said that, if the Sumner and New Brighton, men joined the union thesr would be asked to suggest the kind of agreement they wanted. When Mr Glover had left the meeting, Mr Charters said it appeared to be clear that there was no> principle of unionism involved, and added that if there was he would support it as he believed in unionism. It was also obvious that there was an objection to permanent men working with volunteers.