A.C.T.U. pledges support to F.O.L.

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32880, 1 April 1972, Page 20

A.C.T.U. pledges support to F.O.L.

(N.Z.P.A. Staff Correspondent) SYDNEY, March 30. The Australian Council of Trade Unions has pledged its support to New Zealand’s Federation of Labour in any action decided upon concerning next year’s tour of New Zealand by the South African Rugby team.

Mr T. E. Skinner, president of the F.0.L., said in an interview from Melbourne this meant that if the F.O.L. decided at its annual meeting in May to advise affiliated unions to withhold their labour during the Springbok tour, Australian unions could be asked to take similar measures against the Springboks as they passed through Australia on their way to New Zealand. Mr Skinner was giving a report on the two days of talks between representatives of the F.O.L. and the > A.C.T.U. at the first meeting , of the Australian and New

Zealand Trade Union Coordinating Council. The council was formed after Mr Skinner addressed the A.C.T.U. Congress in Australia last year. Mr Skinner said tonight that on the question of apartheid, which had been raised by the New Zealand representatives. New Zealand had indicated that it would be communicating with the South African Government to request that in accordance with the longstanding policies of both the F.O.L. and the A.C.T.U., the proposed South African Rugby team to tour New Zealand should be picked on a multi-racial basis. Mr Skinner said the meeting had noted that the F.O.L. would be discussing the issue at its annual conference in May. The A.C.T.U. reaffirmed its stand on the issue and indicated that it would ask affiliated unions to support the F.0.L., Mr Skinner said.