F.O.L. conference votes to continue Chile trade ban
PA Wellington Trade unionists yesterday opted to continue their ban on trade with Chile, in spite of a challenge to credibility from within their ranks. In a strong speech from the chair, the Federation of Labour’s president, Mr W. J. Knox, said the ban would remain until the International Conference of Free Trade Unions (1.F.C.T.U.) told the F.O.L. to lift it.
“As a member of this organisation, I do not care if every other country in this world is trading with Chile. It does not make it right for us,” said the F. secretary, Mr K. G. Douglas. Unionists were responding to an address to the F.O.L. annual conference by Mr Michael Cullen
(Freezing Workers’ Clerical Association). He named a Jong list of countries, ’ which, according to figures from the Central Bank of Chile, were trading with Chile. Among them were China,' whose trade, according to the bank’s figures, was running about $179 million. Mr Cullen also asserted that the United States trade with Chile was about $3.5 billion'. "I believe that if the direction of the I.F.C.T.U. has any , credibility and that if 'these figures are right, we should have no ban.” Mr Cullen said.
He urged the F.O.L. to investigate the figures and lift the,-ban if they proved to be correct.
Mr Knox accused the Government and employers of orchestrating a campaign against the ban. They were doing this be-
cause the ban had been so successful. . ■ “Our ban has been so successful, irrespective of who trades with Chile,” he said, adding: “It’s a fascist. Pinochet military regime."
Mr Knox said he had been closely involved with the situation in Chile since 1975 and there had been no change according to information coming out of the country. “Mike Cullen mentions names, he quotes figures. That is good for the press, TV, and radio. They will love it,” Mr Knox said.
"Let me say this, that will be checked all right, make no mistake about it, but I sincerely hope that what Mike Cullen was not saying was that I was not telling the truth as I know it.”
Further report, page 3
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Press, 9 May 1981, Page 1
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362F.O.L. conference votes to continue Chile trade ban Press, 9 May 1981, Page 1
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