Compulsory unions favoured in low poll

Press, 30 August 1979, Page 10

Compulsory unions favoured in low poll

PA Wellington More than 80 per cent of trade unionists who had voted in ballots on compulsory unionism were in favour of it, the Undersecretary of Labour (Mr Malcolm) has said in Parliament.

Mr Malcolm said that 81 unions had held ballots, and 86 per cent of those who voted were in favour of retaining the unqualified preference clause in their awards. However, of 210,000 unionists eligible to vote only 51,000 had done so, he said.

This meant that 24 per cent were in favour of compulsory unionism and 76 per cent were either against it or did not vote.

Mr Malcolm, asked how much the ballots had cost the Labour Department and the unions concerned, said that details were not readily available because department officials had conducted the ballots concurrently with other work. The cost to unions was an internal matter.

Ballots Of the 81 unions had necessitated 1317 special meetings and eight postal ballots, Mr Malcolm said.