ONE BIG UNION.

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 42, 17 August 1918, Page 11

ONE BIG UNION.

The cables this week announced that a conference in Sydney had approved of the "one big union" idea, but gave no details of the proposed scheme under which the "one big- union" is to be realised. There ie no doubt that tho trend of presentday Labour is towards the formation of extensive industrial organisation or federation, and in this connection the decision of tho Arbitration Court concerning several' questions asked by the Registrar of Industrial Organisations in regard to the freczing_ workers is awaited with interest. The points involved are of considerable importance, and if the answers are unfavourable legislation . will probably be pressed for. "The question of national unions instead of federations is of great importance to workers," is the opinion expressed by the Transport Workers' Federation. "National unions will b© more economical to run, and ha.ye more cohesion and economic power than She present craft union principle. The whole trade union movement should aim for more economic and efficient administration. To achieve this we must have larger unions with a. wider outlook. Tho I I. C. and A. Act must be amended to allow the registration of national unions. If that cannot* _be accomplished the national organisations must register under some other Act that will allow of a, wider scope for industrial organisation."