Strong unions ‘welcome’

Press, 31 July 1978, Page 6

Strong unions ‘welcome’

[PA Wellington, ! Strong trade unions with; [the best possible manage-; ment and research teams, would.be welcomed by the, [ whole community, says the I ■president of the Chambers! of Commerce. Mr J. Green-1 [field. Intransigence, parochial[isrn. demarcation disputes,! and unreasonable anti des-1 tructive demands would be, less likely if there were i fewer unions and more pro-, fessional management, Mr' Greenfield said.

i| New Zealand’s great need,; 'in the eyes of the chambers.; [was a merging o’f interests! J to reduce confrontations and' [[improve efficiency. i “Strong trade unions, well; ;|informeo and well managed,! [would be a welcome devel-[ opment and any move to- ; wards this should be ap-i iplauded," he said. ’[ Of free trade unions, Mr I [Greenfield said that if un-| inions were not to 1 be en-l •’tirely voluntary, then it was l

, I vital that they be seen to be . [ well-informed, responsible, !democratic, and fair. I' “Il is common to call for ! more open government and I;for more information to be J freely available to citizens,” ['he said. “It would be a valuable contribution to the commun*’ity if larger unions could i bring about such enlight[enment vithin their ranks, [and so encourage real and [widespread worker participation in the management of! ‘their Own affairs.”