Engineers opt for F.O.L.

Press, 8 March 1984, Page 13

Engineers opt for F.O.L.

PA Wellington The national council of the Engineers’ Union has voted against a notice of motion recommending that it withdraw from the Federation of Labour. The issue is due to be discussed again at the union’s national conference in July. The notice of motion, moved by a Wellington regional councillor, Mr Bob Brooking, was “defeated overwhelmingly,” said the union’s acting national

secretary, Mr Rex Jones. However, the F.O.L. affiliation question will be considered at the union’s biennial conference. Earlier this year, the union’s Wairarapa branch formulated a remit for the conference advocating disaffiliation. Mr Jones said that he had not seen the remit The catalyst for the council decision involved F.O.L. handling of a demarcation dispute, about rigging work, between the Engineers’ Union and the Northern

Labourers’ Union.

In a January 16 decision the F.O.L. awarded the majority of rigging work on northern industrial sites to Northern Labourers’ Union members. The union’s Auckland branch was upset at this decision. At recent biennial conferences of the union remits advocating disafiliation from the F.O.L. from Feilding, palmerston North, and Southland branches have been discussed and defeated.