BREACH WITH W.F.T.U.

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26093, 21 April 1950, Page 6

BREACH WITH W.F.T.U.

FEDERATION OF LABOUR REAFFIRMS DECISION (New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, April 20. The New Zealand Federation of Labour at its annual conference to-day adopted by 176 votes to 6 a resolution reaffirming, its decision to break away from the Communist-controlled World Federation of Trade Unions and to join the Western trade union organisation, the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions. The secretary of the United Mine Workers’ Union (Mr F. Crook) asked for clarification of the position of his union, which has affiliated with the Australian Miners’ Federation, which in turn was affiliated to the World Federation of Trade Unions. It was explained that the association of the New Zealand Miners’ Union with the Australian organisation went to the extent of a joint fund for the exchange of delegates to their annual conferences.

On the motion of Mr J. Freeman (New Zealand Timber Workers’ Union), the conference by 170 votes to 30 decided that it was not competent for the United Mine Workers’ Union to affiliate with an international body from which the federation was disaffiliated. The conference then adopted a resolution declaring that the New Zealand miners’ connexion with the Australian Miners’ Federation was not incompatible with the earlier resolution. The president (Mr A .W. Croskery) said during the discussion that the conference should not injure an organisation which had always been faithful to the federation.