'Trade unionism held to ransom’

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33001, 22 August 1972, Page 17

' Trade unionism held to ransom ’

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) SYDNEY, August 21. The emergence of multi-national corporations has presented trade unionism with an international problem of the type it had to deal with on a national level 100 years ago, according to a leading British trade unionist visiting Sydney.

Speaking on the Australian Broadcasting Commission’s programme, “Guest of Honour,” Mr George Doughty said that the multinational corporation, in its

efforts to avoid unionism and the effects of industrial disputes, and to make maximum profits, had the capacity to move its activities from one place in the world to another.

A member of the general council of the British Trades Union Congress, Mr Doughty went on: “This capacity has enabled the multi-national corporation to hold trade unionism to ransom

“One weapon open to the trade union movement to counteract the power of the corporations is the international boycott, which must be developed among unionists. “Trade unionism on an international basis has a responsibility to all countries, not only to the developed countries, but to the underdeveloped countries. The activities of the multinational corporation are likely to be without a firm trade union base in the underdeveloped countries, and there follows exploitation of cheap labour. “The international trade union movement has a responsibility to give mutual assistance to trade unions in these countries, to make demands upon the multinational corporation to advance their wages and living standards, so that they will no longer be sitting ducks for exploitation.”