Opposition call for controls on unions

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33672, 23 October 1974, Page 18

Opposition call for controls on unions

<N«w Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND. October 22. Complaints about trade union malpractices had reached a level at which changes to the Industrial Relations Act were obviously needed, the Opposition spokesman on labour, Mr J. B. Gordon, said tonight.

Mr (Jordon told the Industrial Relations Society in Auckland that the National Party’s dossier of misconduct in j a small, but nevertheless ; crucial, number of unions had reached such proportions that it could not be ignored. He said that among the matters arising from that dossier were: On Friday the Minister of Labour had been given three affidavits, swearing to illegal activities relat-

»i ing to bank accounts. - Two trade unionists in the f; Wellington area had been J obliged to spend their * own money to get the 1 courts to enforce their S; unions’ rules. f 1 The balance sheet for one I clerical workers’ union [' was issued by its auditor with a tag five pages long. e; Several complainants had t taken their grievances to the police, and these f| were being investigated, v Altogether, eight or nine affa- ’ davits alleging union - misconduct had been

handed to the Ministers , of Labour. Police and j Social Welfare to be acted upon. ' In at least three instances action backed up by the National Party had re,l suited in corrective action by erring officials. Mr Gordon said that there ''were so many instances of ;both the law and union rules (I being ignored that changes Jto the Industrial Relations ..Act were necessary to preserve simple democracy. I “The latest word in Wellington is that the new Minister of Labour is, at long last, contemplating changes to the act to cover union [malpractices in these minlority cases where they [occur,” he said. “The Opposition feels that good legislation is the best solution to this situation, and if the Minister is prepared to take such action he will certainly have our support.” Mr Gordon said he felt the Minister should consider giving the Registrar of Industrial Unions power to inspect or supervise any union that was the subject of a complaint. The act could also contain a new penalty under which erring union officials could [be disenfranchised for a set ! period. [ He suggested that more I emphasis should be placed on I constructive moves, such as trade union education, the establishment of works councils, and worker shareholding. There was also a need for additional industrial mediators —perhaps three in the North Island and two in the South Island—to augment the present pair and to give them more time to deal with trouble before it flared up.