F.O.L. critical of executive member

Press, 19 November 1981, Page 6

F.O.L. critical of executive member

PA Wellington The Federation of Labour’s national council has attacked its Hawke’s Bay councillor, Mr Michael Cullen, for his opposition to the federation’s ban on trade with Chile. Statements made by Mr Cullen, who is national secretary of the Freezing Works Clerical Union and the Labour Party candidate for Hawke’s Bay, did not represent federation policy and were condemned by the national council in a statement made after yesterday's meeting in Wellington. The council also recommended that the F.O.L. president, Mr W. J. Knox, convey its concern about Mr Cullen’s opposition to the ban when he attends the Hawke’s Bay Trades Council meeting next week. Mr Cullen did not attend yesterday’s meeting. Negotiations of the freezing works clerical award have broken down and he stayed in Hastings yesterday. He will visit Chile in February and has said he will take with him the secretary of an influential union. . Mr Knox said he did not know who the person was. “I wish you could tell me that. . . we will find out some way but Mr Cullen is being very secretive.” He said there was no question of the ban being lifted, in spite of assertions that it would be by the Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) as well as Labour Party and Social Credit politicians.

The F.O.L. meanwhile will continue efforts to negotiate a redundancy agreement for workers at the Rixen factory at Levin. But the national council also wants to “change the emphasis" of the dispute, and has authorised the F.O.L. executive to act accordingly. The council had endorsed the actions of the federation’s officers and executives and decided to continue “all

necessary steps” to negotiate a redundancy agreement. The intransigent attitude of the Rixen employers required the attention of all unions, the statement said. “Recognising the need to be flexible in the approach to such disputes, the council calls on all district trades councils and affiliated unions to actively assist in the achievement of this object."