Chile unionists want ban off

Press, 17 July 1979, Page 7

Chile unionists want ban off

Auckland Two senior Chilean trade unionists have appealed to the Federation of Labour to lift its trade ban on Chile, according to a member of the Social Credit Political League tyho has recently returned from South -America. Mr G. C. Morell -.aid there was a» air of freedom about the Chilean people, who were eager to talk about their internal and international politics. He had interviewed two of the most powerful Chilean trade unionists. They had emphasised their dismay at the F.O.L. ban. He identified the unionists as the president of

the Coppet Mine Workers’ Union (Mr Bernardino Castillo) and the secondhighest office holder in

the “Trade Movement Workers' Representatives a Mr Madina.

These unionists had met ‘ some New Zealand trade--; union leaders, including the president of the F.O.L.' (Mr W. J. Knox), and had found them “most ill-in-formed.” “It was explained to me that Mr Knox had spon- ' sored a resolution asking i the world trade unions to i declare a universal ban on ■ Chile but support was not ] there,” said Mr Morell. “They were n>.t com- ! pletely content with the ! workers’ lot but things are ■ far better now than they j were previously and they i expect to improve matters j as time goes by,” he said, ; Mr Morel! said he had ■ been impressed with the sincerity of the Chilean unionists. They had emphasised that they had invited Mr j Knox to visit Chile as their guest but that the iinvitation had never been i accepted.