PREFERENCE TO UNIONISTS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1246, 30 September 1911, Page 7

PREFERENCE TO UNIONISTS.

» NO REPLY TO OPPOSITION. By TclejrriiDh-rresa Aesor.'ition—Copyright Melbourne, September 29. Arrangements have been mado to take a vote 10-day on Mr. Deakin's eensuro motion condemning tho Government for ordering preference to unionists in the Federal Departments. Tho Oppositionists' chief complaint is of Ministers' silence during tho debate. They charge them with being afraid to openly support tho Minister for Homo Affairs in his preierenco ukase. CENSURE MOTION DEFEATED. (Rec. September 29, 10.45 p.m.) Sydney, September 29. Mr. Deakin's eensuro motion waß doi'eated by 2H votes uj i!l.

After a conference with representatives of the Victorian Trades Hall Council last week, Mr. Fisher, the Moral Prime Minister, rf-atcd that thero seemed to bo a diversity o£ method among tho Federal Departments in taking on workmen and paying them. The brief conference which he had had with the unionists representatives had been hold with a view of getting uniformity of method, conforming as nearly as possible to unionist practices and principles. So far as the policy of the Government was concerned, said Mr. Fisher, its policy was to give preference to unionists. That wc.s definite and distinct. There were a largo number of trades where the men would not work with non-unionists. As soon as a union established its bona-fidos preference would be given. The Government would.stand or fall by that. In reply to a question, Mr. Fisher said that the principle which he had enunciated would apnlv to clerks being members of a bona-iide union. The persons affected would i>o thoso seeking employment as casuai or temporary employees in the Federal Departments.