Voluntary unionism ‘approved’

Press, 9 August 1983, Page 4

Voluntary unionism ‘approved’

PA Wellington The Employers’ Federation yesterday gave the Government qualified approval for plans to introduce voluntary unionism. The federation’s president, Mr Garry Tait, said after a special meeting that the executive had decided to accept the principle of freedom of association as outlined in the International Labour Organisation’s convention 87.

Mr Tait did not go as far as saying the federation actually favoured voluntary unionism proposals but article two of the convention states: “Workers’ and employers’ organisations, without distinction whatsoever, shall have the right to establish and, subject only to the rules of the organisation concerned, to join organisations of their own choosing without previous authorisation.”

Mr Tait said industrial legislation would need to be changed if the Government was to ratify the convention.

He urged the Government to ensure that whatever changes were made to industrial law should promote good industrial relations, in the context of a comprehensive wage reform package. New Zealand had not ratified convention 87 because of its incompatibility with the 1973 Industrial Relations Act.

The act provides for compulsory union membership and also contains provisions which control union formation, jurisdiction, and administration. If the Government did decide to ratify convention 87, one of the main changes which would have to be made to the act would involve the repeal of section 99 — the unqualified preference provision.