DELEGATE TO CONFERENCE

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 142, 18 June 1919, Page 5

DELEGATE TO CONFERENCE

FLAXMILLERS' ACTION" CON-

DEMNED,

The action of the Flaxmillers' Association in refusing to accept as a delegate of the workers to a conference a man whose name is on the list of military defaulters was discussed at a meeting of members of the Federated Seamen's Union. The following motion was carried: —

" That this meeting of seamen strongly resents on principle the unmitigated action of the Flaxmillers' Association in refusing to meet the workers in conference to discuss conditions of employment on the ground that a delegate of the workers is a person whose name appears on the list of military defaulters. This we regard as a serious infringement of the right of the workers to elect whom they desire to represent them to discuss conditions of employment with employers, besides being the medium of additional punishment to that prescribed by law and regulation, the person objected to having suffered two years' imprisonment for a breach of the Military Service Act, and, in terms of the Government Gazette embodying the list of military defaulters, has been deprived of his civil rights for ten years from 10th December last, and is ineligible for employment in the Government or of any local or public authority during that period, which means that he cannot be enrolled as an elector or contest any public office. The principle of unqualified victimisation adopted by the Maxmillers' Association or other employer will not be tolerated by the seamen of the country, and with the flaxmill •workers and the delegate objected to we offer sympathy, and pledge all support in maintaining the unquestionable rijfht of workers to choose their representatives without interference or dictation of the employ era."