Mrs Sonja Davies returned

Press, 9 May 1985, Page 4

Mrs Sonja Davies returned

PA Wellington Mrs Sonja Davies retained her position yesterday as the foremost woman in the New Zealand private sector trade union movement.

She was elected unopposed for what she said would be her second and final term as vice-president of the Federation of Labour.

The Engineers’ Union candidate, Mr Bob Cowley, Mrs Davies’ one opponent, withdrew his nomination late yesterday morning.

She said she was not worried by criticism of the Government from this year’s conference.

"I see us as part of a family, and you can have rows in families but present a united front,” she said.

Mrs Davies defeated the Engineers’ Union former secretary, Mr Ernest Ball, for the vice-presidency two years ago. The Engineers’ Union, the country’s second biggest private sector union (after the Hotel Workers’ Union) with 51,446 members, has not had a representative on the executive since Mr Ball’s defeat.

The Engineers’ Union secretary, Mr Rex Jones, successfully obtained an executive position yester-

day. He recorded 456 votes. He took over the job as acting secretary from Mr Ball in August 1983 and was elected secretary at the union’s biennial conference last August. The three sitting executive members returned for further two year terms were Mr Len Smith (Northern Labourers, 478), Mr John Slater (Clerical Workers, 460) and Mr Sam Jennings (Waterside Workers, 371). The Canterbury Storemen and Packers’ Union representative, Mr Paul Piesse, was the unsuccessful candidate with 183 votes. A sit-

ting executive member Mrs Joyce Hawe did not seek rerelection.

Ms Suzanne McNab (Tramways, 407), Ms Otere Halkyard (Engineers, 400) and Ms Brenda Tibble (Canterbury Clothing Workers, 301) were elected members of the F.O.L’s women’s advisory committee.

The F.O.L. executive now comprises the president, Mr Jim Knox; vice-president, Mrs Sonja Davies; secretary, Mr Ken Douglas; executive Messrs Mr Bill Andersen, Wes Cameron, Rob Campbell, Ashley Russ, Smith, Slater, Jennings and Jones.