N.Z. sliding downhill

Press, 8 March 1978, Page 16

N.Z. sliding downhill

Sir, —Sir Thomas Skinner’s latest advice is to "lay off’’ the trade union movement. Apparently the F-O.L. wants a stable and prosperous economy. How strange when the federation appears to support the action of the Auckland Trades Council in calling stopwork meetings with the stated intention of ousting the present Government. After two full years of industrial strife have failed to bring results, we are now to witness a more determined effort in this election year. It says much for the (communist) Socialist Unity Party that it is prepared to serve notice that the days of passive resistance are over and the control over the trades councils will be. used efficiently. The name Socialist Unity should be changed to Social Disruption and all who doubted Mr Muldoon’s warning on the extension of communist activity in New Zealand should think again. The apathy of the rank and file in the trade unions has been fully exploited and the union purse strings and executive power are firmly held by the Socialist Unity Party.—Yours; etc., L. J. STEVENS. Oamaru. March 4, 1978.

Sir, — May I make a plea to all New Zealanders, and especially to leaders in our unions, to wake up before it is too late. The days of striking for more pay in every situation imaginable are quickly drawing to a close as markets are lost, producers and manufacturers are strangled, and tempers and morale are frayed. Surely when compared with 75 per cent of the rest of the world we have a relatively high standard of living and lack nothing for daily sustenance and recreation. May I appeal to each individual to pull together as our pioneers did and be content with our lot. It does not require big words or a university degree to see that the future of our country is at stake. — Yours, etc.,

M. G. STEWART. March 4, 1978. [This correspondence is now closed. — Editor]