Unions to defy injunctions

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33539, 21 May 1974, Page 2

Unions to defy injunctions

(New'Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, May 20. On the eve of a joint court appearance, two of the country’s most powerful trade unions today announced they would ignore Court injunctions.

One thousand Northern Drivers’ Union members who met in Auckland today endorsed the decision of their executive and job delegates to ignore court injunctions. They said trade unions must maintain their right to withhold labour. The secretary of the Seamen’s Union (Mr D. J. Morgan) said tonight that his union’s attitude was the same as that of the drivers’. The two unions will appear in the Supreme Court in Auckland tomorrow morning, when the harbour ferry operator (Mr L. S. Dromgoole) will ask the court to enforce injunctions served on the unions and officials. The drivers and seamen have prevented fuel from reaching the Waiheke ferry

service for several months because of a manning dispute the seamen have with Mr Dromgoole. Both Mr Morgan and the secretary of the Northern Drivers’ Union (Mr G. H. Anderson) said members of their unions would be called to meetings before any further action was taken. The action of the unions is along the lines of decisions taken at both the Federation of Labour conference and the Labour Party conference. The F.O.L. conference asked the Government to introduce legislation to prevent employers taking injunctions and similar proceedings against unions, their members, and officials. The Labour Party conference wanted protection for unions and their members against Supreme Court injunctions during disputes. i