EXPULSION OF WATERSIDERS

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26032, 8 February 1950, Page 4

EXPULSION OF WATERSIDERS

PROTEST BY OTAGO TRADES COUNCIL FEDERATION ACCUSED OF DICTATORSHIP —l— Zealand Press Association.) DUNEDIN, February 7. Opposition to the action or the national executive of the Federation of Labour in expelling the Waterside Workers’ Union has been expressed by trade unions in Otago. A resolution opposing the federation’s action was first passed at a meeting of the executives of unions on January 30 and this was followed by a similar resolution at a meeting of the Otago Trades Council on Monday. A full statement of the attitude of unions was given this evening by Mr L. F. Evans, secretary of the Otago Trades Council. This reads: “At a meeting of the executives of unions held in Dunedin on January 30 a resolution passed viewing with alarm and distress the decision of the national Federation of Labour to expel the New Zealand Waterside Workers’ Union from the federation. The resolution stated that such drastic action on the part of the executive was quite unwarranted and that it would surely lead to the disintegration of the federation. Unions also asked the Otago Trades Council to do everything in its power to prevent the national executive from carrying out its threat. The decision of the unions was immediately put into effect, and the executive was accordingly advised. Trades Councils Ignored

“The council, which had the question under consideration on Monday, took the strongest exception to the unprecedented action of the national executive; first, because it was totally disregarding the constitution of the federation, which is the fundamental organic law of that body; and second, because it completely ignored 19 trades councils and the same number of national councillors who before the press announcement were kept in complete ignorance of the contemplated action of the executive.

It appears to the Otago Council that the motive for expulsion has not been wholly divulged, but it may be an attempt to prevent the Waterside Workers’ Union from being present at the forthcoming conference and to prevent the nomination of their members for office, because if the executive were successful the expulsion would be a fait accompli and the question at issue would not then be that of expulsion but -of a vote of no-con-fidence in the national executive, with the union excluded, which would be entirely undemocratic. “Much play has been made of the term democracy issued from our national office lately, but to the Otago Council it seems that the executive is confusing the term with that of dictatorship, else why were not trades councils and/or national councillors consulted? National Executive’s Claim “The situation is much worse than appears on the surface because, if the authority claimed by the national executive is permitted, every organisation which incurred its displeasure would be faced with expulsion or some other dire consequence, and the federation would rapidly descend to the level of a mutual admiration society. “The v/aterside workers have for many years been the spearhead of advantages gained by the workers of the Dominion and are deserving of the fullest support from all sections of industrial labour. There is no more generous body of unionists iq the Dominion and their delegates to our council have always been a great help in our deliberations. We strongly resent the tactics adonted by the national executive, which we consider quite unworthy of people holding re sponsible positions in the Federation of Labour, and we are dismayed that a greater degree of tolerance has not been displayed in recent months.”