TRADES COUNCILS

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 106, 1 November 1923, Page 8

TRADES COUNCILS

PROPOSED FEDERATION

CONSTITUTION TO BE DRAWN UP.

At the time of the New Zealand Labour Party Conference held in Christchurch at Easter ( this year, a conference took place between -representatives of the four New ■ Zealand ;; Trades and Labour Councils for the. purpose of considering the question; of the formation of a Federation of the Trades and Labour Councils in New Zealand. The result of the preliminary conference was that negotiations were opened with the appointed representatives of the Alliance to adjust-the constitution of the alliance of Labour with a view'to endeavouring to suit the requirements of the bulk of the unions and 'also the various trade councils. ' *

Negotiations have been taking place for some weeks past-between the Wellington Trades Council and the alliance and although .they'-'have not yet terminated they havb so far proved unsuccessful, and in some quarters the opinion is expressed that the: two bodies are so fundamentally different in character that ™! i object is not likely:to be achieved. \\hereas ..the.. 1 alliance.' constitution is based upon industrial, organisation, the Irades and Labour.' Councils have territorial organisation;,-.: The trade bodies desire that the alliance shall amend its constitution in such a way that the unit of membership for affiliation with the alliance,,shall be the union, as against federated bodies in each industry as at present. It has been definitely decided toA'go" ahead with the formation of the proposed federation of trades and labour councils, and hopes are entertained that when that end is attained the alliance will see its way to modify its constitution. Active steps are now being taken towards forming the federation, and consideration will be given very shortly to the framing of a draft constitution, subject to approval and' alteration, if considered necessary, by the councils in the other centres. The secretary of the local council (Mr. W.. Bromley) made it clear to a "Post" reporter this mornins that the federation, winch was now about to take definite shape, would be in no way antagonistic to the Alliance of Labour. * While working mutually in the interests of the cause of Labour, both bodies would have distinct functions. The Alliance of Labour itself recognised the necessary for union between the trades councils, apart from its own activities and interests.

_ The formation of a Dominion organisation embracing the trades councils in each centre is no new thing. Many years ago there existed such a body, known as the Trades Councils Federation, but it went out of existence after the formation of the Federation of Labour, now defunct.