PREFERENCE TO UNIONISTS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 477, 8 April 1909, Page 5

PREFERENCE TO UNIONISTS.

RESOLUTION OP EMPLOYEES' FEDEEA- : TION, At a meeting of tho Advisory Board,of the New Zealand Employers' Federation, held on Tuesday, the question of preference to unionists was, fully considered, especially in connection with the attitude of the Arbitration Court regarding several such, cases at the last sitting in Wellington, and Mr. Justice Sim's remarks in regard to the duties of employers in connection with preference. The whole of the bodies affiliated to the federation had been communicated with, and replies had been received After consideration, the following resolution was unanimously adopted:— "Whereas the Arbitration Court has, in various industrial disputes, granted a modified form of preference to members of unions of workers (which has not been actively opposed by employers, although they have at all times insisted upon their rights, to engago workers best qualified to perform the work required of them), and the Arbitration Court having recently shown a disposition to impose upon employers a much greater responsibility in regard to the employment of workers than . has been cast upon them previously, and the president of the Court having intimated that, in his opinion, it is the drity of employers to refuse to employ workers unless they became members of unions, the Advisory Board.of the New Zealand Employers' Federation (after having consulted all affiliated bodies) desires to publicly intimate that tho employers of this Dominion - do, and always will, resent and oppose to tho utmost any attempt to restrict their • undeniable right to select their workmen, % or to compel them to force unwilling . workers into unions. Further, in view of the above facts and the danger of further restrictions being imposed by the Arbitration Court, the Advisory Board strongly urges all employers of labour to strenuously opposo the inclusion of preference to unionist clauses in all future awards and industrial agreements." It was also decided that tho secretary (Mr. Pryor) should leave Wellington on Tuesday noxt to visit Taihape, Auckland, Hamilton, Gisborne, and Hawke's Bay and Wairarapa districts, for organising purposes.