Attempts to ‘smear' unions criticised

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32676, 4 August 1971, Page 2

Attempts to ‘smear' unions criticised

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, August 3. Difficulties facing the Labour Department, responsible employers and responsible trade unions were not being helped by attempts to smear the whole trade union movement, said the director of the Industrial Relations Centre (Mr F. J. L. Young) today.

In an address to the Petone Rotary Club, he said: “All organisations have less responsible members, but to label militant unionists generally as Communists suggests a total failure to grasp reality.”

Too many enthusiastic amateurs were offering views on industrial relations from uninformed sources, Mr Young said. All too often, the problems of industrial relations were associated solely with wage fixing and industrial disputes, when in fact they encompassed a much wider field. Industrial relations involved conflict and co-operation, not only between the management and trade unions, but between those parties and the Government. The entire system of in-

dustrial relations in New Zealand should be overhauled, and the long-term problem tackled, Mr Young said.

Unless the long-term problem was solved, amendments to the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, price justification schemes, or the passing of a Stabilisation of

Remuneration Bill should be exercises in frustration. Solving the problem involved the determination of national priorities in economic growth, full employment, balance-of-payments equilibrium, income distribution, education and social policy. “There is a strong belief that ineffectual handling of the total economy rather than employers’ greed or trade union pushfulness is responsible for the present difficulties," Mr Young said. “ALL INVOLVED" “However, an active labour market policy is not the sole responsibility of the Government. Management, trade unions and workers must also be involved in its processes.”

Stability of prices and incomes could only be brought about by deflation, he said, and the inevitable cost involved would be a slowing of economic growth and considerable unemployment. Detailed regulations, penalties and strict enforcement might stop trade unions from competing for wage increases and employers from competing for labour. Their individual cost, however, would include a deterioration of industrial relations, a black market in labour, .and the waste of a great deal of effort, said Mr Young.