APPEAL DISMISSED

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 166, 10 April 1935, Page 11

APPEAL DISMISSED

Store Managers’ Move For Separate Union An appeal by the Wellington Chain Store Branch Managers’ Union against the refusal of the Registrar of the Arbitration Court to register that body as an industrial union, was dismissed after hearing by the Court of Arbitration on Monday. Mr. Justice Frazer presided, with him being Mr. W. Cecil Prime (employers’ assessor), and Mr. A. L. Monteith (workers’ assessor), Mr. J. F. B. Stevenson submitted the appeal which was on the following grounds: “That the branch managers, members of the appellant organisation, could not, with any confidence or security, place their interests as workers in the hands of the officers of the Wellington Retail Grocers’ Shop Managers’ Union of Workers for the following reasons: (a) that by joining the union, which had been- promoted by, and was under the direction of, the Wellington Grocers’ Assistants’ Union, they would be dragged at the heels of the Assistants’ Union ; (b) because Mr. A. W. Croskery, who classed himself as the secretary of the New Zealand Shop Assistants’ Federation, had played an important part in the formation of the Wellington Retail Grocery Shop Managers’ Union, and Mr. Croskery had, on more than one occasion, showed strong opposition to chain grocery store organisations, and had allowed his name to be used in public.' advertisements which cast serious reflections upon chain grocery store organisations. It would also be noted in the advertisements mentioned that Mr. J. Purtell, seertary of the Joint Council, was in agreement with the statements made by Mr. Croskery. The managers of the Chain Grocery Stores Branch Managers’ Union believed they could safeguard their interests better by having an organisation that was apart from and not dominated by the Grocers’ Assistants Union, and that it would be more convenient for the members to register separately than to join an existing industrial union.” Mr. Stevenson said there were 160 branch managers in the Wellington industrial district, and applications of 120 branch managers to join a union had been received. The appellants said they were not prepared to join a union which they did not agree with. He urged that the appellants were entitled to have a union of their own. There was a very substantial reason why they should be allowed to register. Ilia Honour said he was afraid counsel for the appellants was at present beating for air because the court was supposed to avoid multiplicity of unions. Counsel was asking the court'to agree to separate negotiations in order to get oyer a temporary difficulty in connection with the Conciliation Council. After hearing evidence, and submissions by Mr. A. W. Croskery, who appeared for the respondent Grocers’ Assistants’ Union in support of the Registrar’s refusal to register the new union, his Honour said it was recognised that there was some divergence of interests between the employees of <liain stores and other stores. If the application for registration was granted in this case, it would probably be followed by an application for separate registration by the assistants. The appeal was dismissed.