District Trades Council Alleges Victimisation

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30235, 13 September 1963, Page 15

District Trades Council Alleges Victimisation

The Canterbury district council of the Federation of Labour last night decided to insist on both industrial and political action to stop what it regards as victimisation of two prominent Otago trade unionists.

The president of the council (Mr F. L. Langley) said after the meeting that for months the president of the Otago council (Mr W. B. Richards) and a freezing worker, Mr T. Wesley, had been refused permanent employment. They had been victimised as a result of their trade union activities. In spite of efforts by the federation to obtain positions for them, said Mr Langley, both were still unemployed. The council decided to send

a telegram to the national executive of the federation requesting that the position of these two Otago men be referred to members of Parliament, with a view to their being placed immediately in suitable jobs. Mr Langley said that the council had information that certain Government departments in Otago were requiring labour, and that though these men had been directed to these positions they had been refused employment. “This position cannot be tolerated,” said Mr Langley. The council endorsed toe national council’s decision to seek the co-operation of the Australian Council of Trade Unions in introducing a boycott of France in protest against the proposed testing of nuclear weapons at Gambodia Island. The council also decided to seek the support of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions. Mr Langley said that the council endorsed the action of the seamen and the Seamen’s Union in demanding rates of wages to preserve the conditions of waterside workers who would normally load and unload ships at Deep Cove. The ships concerned included toe Awanui, Kawaroa, and Maunganui. The proposed defection of the New Zealand Workers’ Union from the federation was not considered at last night’s meeting because the council had not received any official information, Mr Langley said. No New Zealand Workers’ Union delegates attended last night’s meeting. In recent years, toe workers’ union has had at least one delegate at most council meetings. The council endorsed the national council’s decision to provide all assistance to freezing workers and waterside workers to form national organisations.