F.O.L.-Govt meeting on union ballots

Press, 15 July 1978, Page 6

F.O.L.-Govt meeting on union ballots

PA Auckland The Government’s ballots of trade unions were leading New Zealand towards a dictatorship, the president of the Federation of Labour (Sir Thomas Skinner ) said yesterday.

Union anxiety over the bal lots had increased during tht last week, in spite of threi ballots so far in favour of compulsory unionism, he said. The previous ballots — o Golden Bay Cement workers Canterbury rubber workers

•and Auckland region fertil- , • iser workers — resulted in • returns of about 90 per cent 11 in favour of the existing ( system of compulsory' unionism. f! About 20 more unions are , to be balloted. Sir Thomas said that indignation about the Government’s policy of balloting union members would be the main issue at a meeting between the F.O.L. and the Government caucus labour committee on Thursday. The present discontent in the Auckland Clerical Workers’ Union, where some members wanted a ballot., could be discussed at the! meeting, he said. “But one union is just as

important as the other,” said Sir Thomas. “We are going to tell the: Government about the stupid-j ity of holding the ballots, and: we hope it will see the error; of its ways. “We believe in a free trade union movement, as in every, other country. We don’t want ( State-run ballots or a State' advocacy’ service. “All the State is going to J do for these volunaryj unionism people is to negotiate their wages—no holidays, ( holiday pay. penal rates, maternity leave . . . nothing,”! he said. The Labour Department was not equipped to run the! ballots, said Sir Thomas. 1 because it was impossible to'

list e\ ery union member at one time. Union membership changed rapidly with staff turnover. “We’ve decided it is better to make people aware of what the Government is up to.” he said. “We are heading for a complete dictatorship in industrial relations.” The president of the Auckland Trades Council (Mr G. H. Andersen) said that ai meeting on Thursday’ had! resolved to start an extensive advertising and publicity! campaign on the merits of : the present union system. ■ A ban by transport indus-| try unions on any union vot-I ing for voluntary unionism was a back-up measure, said Mr Andersen.