Federation secretary rejects attack

Press, 31 October 1984, Page 13

Federation secretary rejects attack

Wellington reporter The secretary of the Federated Storemen and Packers and Warehouse Employees’ Association, Mr Philip Mansor, has strongly rejected the attack made on him and his federation (“The Press,” October 27) by the secretary of the Canterbury-Westland Stores and Packing Workers’ Union, Mr Paul Piesse. Mr Piesse had said that Mr Mansor was elected for life and could not be re-

moved from his post. “That charge is arrant nonsense,” Mr Mansor said. Far from being “elected for life,” the secretary of the federation and of the proposed Storeworkers, Packers and Warehouse Employees’ Union had been and would continue to be elected for two-year terms by the biennial conference. No union officer was immune from removal from office, as provision for such removal in union rules was a requirement of registration, Mr Mansor said. Mr Piesse should have known that as one of his own predecessors in office, Mr Jack Laby, had been Mr Mansor’s predecessor as federation secretary. “One must query the

democratic nature of the present leadership of the Canterbury-Westland Union, which appears to have determined already to keep its membership apart from the unification move, while preaching the need for unity to other South Island unions,” Mr Mansor said. “Perhaps it is time for Mr Piesse to allow his membership to hear the case for amalgamation and, early next year, to vote on a proposal.” This proposal under Section 192 of the Industrial Relations Act, 1974, would . end a pointless division in the ranks of storemen and packers, he said. “Mr Piesse inherited this division from his predecessor on his own appointment to office,” Mr Mansor said.