Counter-allegations by meat workers’ new secretary

Press, 18 February 1977, Page 1

Counter-allegations by meat workers’ new secretary

PA Dunedin The general secretarv-elect of the Meat Workers’ Union (Mr A. J. Kennedy) called a press conference in Dunedin yesterday to discuss alleged irregularities during the period leading up to and including the election campaign for the office.

Mr Kennedy recently defeated Mr F. E. McNulty, of Christchurch, in a national ballot for the job of general secretary, one of the most important fobs in industrial relations. The ballot is now being challenged by some members in the North Island branches. Mr Kennedv said that the Otago-Southland members had exnressed “revulsion and disgust” at the events that occurred during the campaign.

"The members realise that unless this thing is 'eaned up it could hanpen again,” Mr Kennedy said.

He said that he had agreed to challenge Mr McNulty at the behest of Southland members of the union, who had also agreed to fund his election campaign.

Mr Kennedy said that he received a letter, dated December 3, advising him of the appointment of a returning officer for the election. The letter was from the union’s national office, and indicated that the returning officer had b°en appointed on the agreement of “those members of the management committee available.”

Mr Kennedy said that this was a breach of the union’s rules, which stated that a returning officer co-Id be appointed only by a resolution of the management committee. There was no resolution and the rule had not . been complied with, he said. He said that rule 35 required the management committee to determine *’’e form of the ballot

paper — the issue before the members — the dates of the elections and return of ballot papers. He said that no meeting of the committee was held to determine these matters, and the returning officer had apparently dealt with them. Mr Kennedy said that at the time he noticed this he pointed it out to the then general secretary (Mr McNulty). Mr McNulty had responded by sending a telegram to management committee members asking them to endorse or otherwise the returning officer. “But this still does not comply with the rules,” Mr Kennedy said.

IKennedy said that at the time he had circularised branches in his area, men-

tioning what had occurred. The rules allow for a total of 21 days for campaigning by nominees but because this period fell over the Christmas holidays, only about 14 days were available to Mr Kennedy. The Otago-Southland branch requested an extension. but this was not provided. “The sitting official is well known, but the challenger is virtually unknown,” Mr Kennedy said, explaining how this had been a disadvantage to his campaign. Of the campaign itself, Mr Kennedy alleged that Mr McNulty had wanted it dealt with wholly by circular and had requested Mr Kennedy to call off his proposed shed-by-shed campaign. Mr Kennedy refused and later heard by way of a telegram that Mr Mc-

Nulty was about to join him on the shed-by-shed campaign. Mr Kennedy claimed that damaging and incorrect satements had been made by supporters of Mr McNulty in the news media in Canterbury the day before Mr Kennedy arrived to campaign a freezing works there. He said a “smear job” had been attempted in some Canterbury sheds, including an unsuccessful attempt to have union members at one works walk out when Mr Kennedy rose to address them. He produced a letter signed by several members to support his claim. Mr Kennedy gave further details of difficulties he said he had faced in the North Island while campaigning, adding as an example the fact that at the Whakatu works, the biggest in the country, no nominations had been called for the vacancies in the union’s head office. At a national executive meeting immediately after the election result was known, he said he had been disturbed by the atmosphere of resentment; and only one member of the council had congratulated. him on the outcome of the ballot. Throughout the press conference Mr Kennedy produced documents, letters and minutes to support his claims. No comment Neither Mr McNulty nor the union’s president (Mr R. Paenga, of Gisborne) was prepared to comment on Mr Kennedy’s allegations until he had studied them in detail.