Unions invited to join talks

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33534, 15 May 1974, Page 2

Unions invited to join talks

fNew Zealand Press Association)

DUNEDIN, May 14

Trade union officers and members had themselves to blame for the disappointing participation by unionists in the Educational Development Conference, Professor F. W. Holmes, chairman of the E.D.C. steering committee, said in Dunedin today.

He was replying to criticism made yesterday byMr G. D. Ditchfield, national secretary of the Printers’ Union, that the E.D.C. was “overwhelmingly middle class,”

Mr Ditchfield told an education seminar in Wellington yesterday that the E.D.C. had failed to attract people in the lower income groups. ' “Trade unionists were requested to become involved jin the conference from the ■outset,” Professor Holmes said this morning. “The conference was initiated by the Labour Government, and the Minister of Education (Mr. Amos) sought participation from the Federation of Labour and its affiliates.” Direct approaches had been made to many unions to form discussion groups, and

several regional committees had included union officers, he said. “Some approaches were successful — generally apathy prevailed. “If, as Mr Ditchfield suggests, the education system is falling down in serving unionists and their children, one would have expected unions to feel a compelling responsibility to expose the weakness and suggest improvements.” Professor Holmes contended that Mr Ditchfield must have known, that any union could have formed discussion groups at members’ workplaces, or at the normal union meeting places. Some branches had done. this. Discussion groups did not have to meet in educational institutions. I