TRADE UNION METHODS

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 304, 18 September 1943, Page 8

TRADE UNION METHODS

Letters Quoted By Mr. Appleton

“AA'hen I addressed my initial meeting in this political campaign I referred to threatening letters by a trades union secretary, and since then there has been no denial on the part of the Government as to the authenticity of these communications,” said Air. AVill Appleton (National, AA’ellington Central) at the Realm Hall, Ilataitai, last night. He therefore challenged the Government to state publicly whether they approved of these tactics adopted by the Trades Hall coterie. He particularly referred to the communication to a female employee, which threatened that if she did not join up and pay her union dues her name would be reported to the manpower officer for possible transfer as an assistant at a mental hospital. ‘Apparently,” said Mr. Appleton, “if she was a. good unionist nothing more would be said.” The speaker continued tbfit unfortunately the influence of the Trades Hall did not stop at the eases to which he had previously referred. Under Regulation 32 of the Industrial Alanpower Regula Hons, 1942, the National Service Department: made it much easier for trade union secretaries to collect their fees. In support of this be quoted a letter received by an employer from the district manpower officer, Wellington, as follows: “Re . . . union fees unpaid. Iu pursuance of the powers conferred upon me by Regulation 32 of the Industrial Alanpower Emergency Regulations, 1942, 1 hereby direct that the employer in the undertaking ... at Welliugtor. shall deduct from the wages next becoming payable to the four persons whose names appear on the attached list, being persons employed in the above-named undertaking, the amounts shown against their liamcs being an amount due to the AVellington Labourers’ Union, and pay (his amount fortwifh to the sceretajy of tint union, whose address is Box 67. Te Aro. Failure t‘o comply w[fli this direction is an offence under the Industrial power Emergency Regulations, 1942.” Air. Appleton said this was a mimeogra'ihed letter indicating (bat it was in general use by the National Service Depart mciii. This procedure could be legally adopted under the regulations, but lie contended Hint all right thinking people would agree with him (hat tlie time had come when these tactics had to he stopped. "This was just another example,” he said, “of the leuglhs to which tlie Labour Governinent would go to achieve its ends. But, you can take it from me, that: when the National Fatty get into power, the domination by the Trades Hall will definitely cense, and people once again will lie restored with their British freedom.”