Mr Knox outlines tactics

Press, 14 December 1983, Page 8

Mr Knox outlines tactics

PA Wellington Unions affiliated to the Federation of Labour would adopt tactics appropriate to their industries and their strengths to combat the punitive effects of the voluntary unionism legislation, said the president of the F.0.L., Mr W. J. Knox, yesterday. In a statement after a meeting of the F.O.L. executive, Mr Knox condemned the provisions of the Indus-

trial Law Reform Bill, which passed a second reading in Parliament last week, and reiterated the view that the bill could be seen only as an attack on the organising rights which existing law guaranteed for New Zealand workers. Mr Knox said the defeat of the youth rates provision was a significant victory and that the young people of New Zealand were to be congratulated for their stand on the issue.

He said the bill would not bring New Zealand into line with the rest of the world.

“... Australia, most states (sic) of Canada and the United States, the United Kingdom, and most other countries allow some form or other of preference,” he said. “Now New Zealand is the odd one out.”

The tactics to be adopted to combat voluntary unionism would include the setting up of closed shops, refusal to handle non-union goods, consumer boycotts, and general trade-union education. “The trade-union movement will not be shackled,” Mr Knox said.