WORKERS' FEDERATION.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 28, 3 February 1908, Page 2

WORKERS' FEDERATION.

WHAT IS PROPOSED. Apropos of tho movement started by the Wniknto Miners' Union to federate all workers' unions, a circular has been issued in the following terms : — "We all must admit that tho time 1 has arrived when wo should be up and doing if wo aro to receivo that to which wo aro entitled, 'just a fair remuneration for our labours.' It is also evident *that wo must organise our forces if we wish to successfully combat those who arc arrayed against us in the form of au Employers' Federation and also Farmers' Union. In those we find two most formidable and unscrupulous foes to tho worker, and "should those two combine, as there is a prospect of thorn doing so, tho future will havo a still more serious outlook. Now if tho employers of all classes of labour -federate, why not all classes #f workers, when by so doing wo shall . form a power that will make itself felt. "It is essential that we have, direct representation in Parliament, and as that is the source iron},; v/hich the 'power must come, we must * put in L-abour members direct from the workers (men who havo the cause of the worker at heart). "It is not one iota of use to put in men who are intoresled jn the capitalistic side, for ©very time wo do so we shall' find to our sorrow that we have been sold, as the past has proved to us. "It is nlso just as little use to stand and anathematise the condition of tho workers; wo must work hand in hand and in sympathy with each other and co try and rectify matters. "iTou ask, 'how can federation directly benefit us?' Following ar© a few ot the many .ways : — (1) Federated, , wo could practically determine before- ■ hand who w© would put in Parliament to represent us, whilst we are divided this will be impossible. , (2) If all workers were organised we could demand ju&tioo andsecuro it by legislation. (3) The workers could also raise inost_ powerful .protests against the existing monopolies that are proving themselves to be so detrimental to tho 1 prosperity of our country, and also pro--1 vent tha forming of future ones. (4) The employers aro organised, thus mak- : ing it absolutely essential Aye also should be organised. (5) We havo few if any mombers in Parliament' at presant who really have the workers' causo at heart. . most of them caring moro for position v and the almighty dollar. (6) We can (if federated) put in men direct from the workers, men having the workers' cause at heart and thoroughly understanding what their neods are. (7) Federated wo can be a help to each other apart from our political life, we shall be able, to get in touch with each other and understand each other better. , "The idea of the committee that baa been formed to, commence the work of federation, is to get all unions to send a delegate to a conference to be held in some suitable place (time and place of meeting to be arranged). "Small and isolated unions not being in .1 position ,t^ send a delegate themselves, could ' amalgamate with 1 other small unions and send a delegate between them, or they could empower any delegate they ' chose- to vote tor them on all matters, ho being allowed by tho conference to do so on presenting his credentials. TII6 estimated cost of sending a delegate ■would be about £12, so that a conference of one hundred delegates would mean an outlay of £1200, or lOd per annum for each member of a union in New Zealand. One shilling per member would clsur all expenses in connection with the conference."