Mr Kennedy loses union post

Press, 7 January 1987, Page 1

Mr Kennedy loses union post

By

GLENN HASZARD

Mr A. J. Kennedy has been dumped as secretary of the Meat Workers’ Union. In a shock announcement yesterday, the union’s returning officer, Mr Jack Clough, said that only two nominations had been received by the closing date on Monday — Messrs Jack Scott and Roger Middlemass. Mr Kennedy said from his home in Christchurch yesterday that the nomination of a third person, Mr Wes Cameron, a member of the Arbitration Court and former secretary of the Canterbury branch of the Meat Workers’ Union, had been ruled invalid because he had not been a union member for the two years preceding nomination. It is believed that the

Canterbury branch nominated Mr Cameron, but had it been known that his nomination was invalid, Mr Kennedy’s name might have gone forward instead. Mr Scott was nominated by OtagoSouthland and East Coast . North Island, while Mr Middlemass was nominated by his own "branch, West Coast North Island. Mr Kennedy disagreed with a suggestion that he had been made a scapegoat for the ills of the ’ union. It has come under attack in the last two years as farmers’ fortunes have declined and the meat industry has come under pressure to increase productivity and profits. Mr Kennedy said that he was philosophical about the situation. It was true that there was some

ambiguity about the rules, in that some members may have felt that a rule allowing the national secretary to be “eligible for re-election” may have been construed to mean that he did not have to be nominated. Another clause of the same rule says that no person shall be eligible for election unless nominated. The ambiguity arises because it is not clear whether the word “election” means the same as “re-election.” The rule might need to be changed to clear up 4 any doubts in the future, but it was too late for him to do anything about it, said Mr Kennedy. "I can’t growl. The union has been good to me. I’ve had a good spin. The only disappointing thing is that I didn’t get a run at the barrier,” he said. Asked why he thought he had not been nominated, Mr Kennedy said that while he did not

think he was being made a scapegoat, he thought that the industry was changing considerably and there was “quite a bit of trauma’’ among the rank and file. "I hold no recriminations. It’s a hard ballgame. The rules are there and if people want to exploit them then its fair

game,” he said. “They may think a new broom will sweep clean. But the next three years will., probably be, even more traumatic than the, last three and whoever wins the election will face a very heavy load.” Mr Middlemass, who has a reputation, as a hard-liner, was elected national president last year and it had been known for several months that he would seek the job of national secretary. Mr Scott, the assistant secretary, accepted nomination only when he was sure that Mr Kennedy had not been nominated. Nomination has to be made by a branch, with both the branch secretary and the branch president signing the form.

Mr Scott said yesterday that he accepted nomination from the Otago-South-land and East Coast North Island branches only after much thought and after he understood that no nominations had been

made by any branch for his boss, Mr Kennedy, with whom he works in an office in the Trade Union Centre in Christchurch.

He said that the ballot would be held in February and the result should be known by the time of the annual conference in Christchurch in March.

Mr Kennedy, who is 62, was elected secretary in 1977 in a ballot against Mr Frank McNulty, a well-known member of the Socialist Unity Party. Mr Kennedy won, but had to wait for another election 12 months later before he could take over, because Mr McNulty’s supporters took a case to the then Industrial Court, seeking a re-election. Mr McNulty is still active in the trade union movement in Christchurch, as secretary of the Ice Cream Workers’ Union and immediate past member of the national

council of the Federation of Labour. Mr Kennedy was the secretary of the OtagoSouthland branch and a farmer’s son. He became a slaughterman at the Bumside works 37 years ago and became secretary of the branch in 1973. He is a committed Christian, non-smoker, teetotaller and has generally steered clear of involvement in all: trade union activities outside those of the union he has led. He has also seldom been seen mixing it with other trade union officials whose offices are in the Trade Union Centre. Mr Middlemass has been deeply involved in the campaign to save jobs as freezing works have closed in the lower part of the North Island, and wrote a booklet for the union and Auckland Freezing Workers Union on the workers’ response to mechanisation and automation in the industry. Mr Scott began work as a freezing worker in 1955 and about 1968 became president of the Pareora sub-branch of the union. He was elected president of the Canterbury branch in 1972 and was secretary of the Timaru Trades Council for four years in the - late 1970 s and early 1980 s. He was elected assistant national secretary when Mr Jim Sneddon retired four years ago. Mr Scott, aged 49, said that he was approached and asked if he would stand and after talking to various people decided to accept nomination. The acceptance came “pretty late” and only after it was confirmed that Mr Kennedy had not been nominated. Mr Scott said it was difficult to say why Mr Kennedy had not been nominated. He agreed that the difficulties the union was having might have had something to do with it. Mr Scott said he had been a member of the Labour Party for many years but had withdrawn his membership when the former Prime Minister Mr (now Sir Wallace) Rowling, discouraged a New Zealand team from competing in the Moscow Olympic Games. He rejoined the party when Mr Lange was elected leader. Mr Scott represented New Zealand at the 1974 and 1980 Commonwealth Games at smallbore rifle shooting and has represented New Zealand in the sport at other international games. He has held several national smallbore titles and seven South Island titles. He is married with two children and lives in Christchurch. If he is elected he sees his main job as one of consolidating the union and building its strength to withstand the onslaught which he believes has ■ only just started against the union.