Engineers remove Kinleith delegate

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33813, 9 April 1975, Page 18

Engineers remove Kinleith delegate

\l CKI VXD. \piil s. I he Engineers' I nion has removed from office one <»l the two union delegates criticised by the recent Commission o| Inquiry into alleged union malpractice and intimidation.

The other delegate is believed to have resigned his position not long after the commission report was made public three weeks ago. J Members of the union on ' the site involved, the shop maintained by Robert Stone ■and Company at Kinleith, evidently met yesterday to consider the situation. Their reaction is, however, unlikely to emerge until Friday, when the union plans ■ to hold an election for a new delegate to represent the ! shop. The commission. Mr R. K. Davison, Q.C., found that the ! delegate, Mr R. T. Bartlett, ■ and the deputy delegate. Mr J. R. McKenzie, were involved in: Attempting to exercise exces- ! sive disciplinary powers over union members: Trying to enforce illegal levies: Failing to observe union rules on strikes; Conducting union meetings in an oppressive manner. Since the report was issued the Engineers’ Union has had ■ several executive meetings to

< try to decide how to deal | with the situation. Mr Bart- ,. lett is thought to have re- ' signed as delegate about two ’ weeks ago. Subsequently Mr McKenzie was elected in his place by a small margin, reported , to be 26 votes to 21. 3 Last week the Auckland „ district executive of the union met to decide whether to re- ’ cognise Mr McKenzie as delegate. After considering the posi- ‘ tion, the executive decided to . use its power to remove him , from office. ( This was tn sharp contrast to a decision by the same executive to reject a proposal

to remove both deleg,Ui s from office shortly after the allegations of misconduct first emerged last August Asked to comment on the decision, the Auckland secretary of the union. Mr .1 I Ct ummet, said: "The Auckland district executive w charged with running the union in this area of the country In accordance with the rules it has made a dec sion on the matter. There is nothing further I can say There were reports from Kinleith today that union members there would trv f ■ resist the district executives decision