ONE BIG UNION

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 258, 28 July 1936, Page 5

ONE BIG UNION

Railway Officers Oppose Formation After a long discussion on the suggestion that the institute should participate in Hie formation of one big union of railwaymen, delegates at the annual conference of the New Zealand Railway Officers’ Institute defeated the proposal by an overwhelming majority. In a statement issued last night it was said that the conference felt that the present arrangements, by which several railway organisations united in the advocacy of matters of common interest, satisfied the present requirements of the service organisation, and at the same time ensured to each unit the advantages of dealing with the special circumstances of its own members. Delegates stated that there was almost a compliS: absence of requests from individual members that the institute should participate in the movement. A further question discussed by the conference was whether female office -workers in the railway service should be admitted to the institute in view of compulsory unionism, and it was decided to admit them. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year: President, Mr. E. TV. Barnes; vice-presidents, Mr. M. J. Forde (North Island) and Mr. J. J. McAloon (South Island); general treasurer, Mr. G. R. Wilson; Wellington executive committee, Messrs. R. G. ■Croudis, P. J. O’Donnell, G. H. Hoare and J. G. Whetton (traffic representatives), H. J. Burd (locomotive representative), C. R. Lovatt (maintenance representative), A. B. Leggett (stores representative) ; auditors. Mr. E. H. Alington and Mr. A. F- Taylor.