UNRULY UNIONISTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 92, 20 April 1938, Page 10

UNRULY UNIONISTS

MINISTER'S REQUEST

CONTROL BY FEDERATION

Friendly criticism of the trade union movement was indulged in by the Minister of Labour (the Hon. H. T. Armstrong) at the annual conference of the Federation of Labour last week (reports "The Standard"). Mr. Armstrong said that if the industrial movement was going to hold him responsible for the administration of his Department, he was going to hold the Federation of Labour responsible for the administration of its department, which was the control of the conduct of union members. The Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, said Mr. Armstrong, might not be perfect, and he did not think the youngest of them would live long enough to find it perfect. They could discover anomalies by the dozen. However/he thought it would be admitted that the Amendment Act, though it might not fill the bill so far as the trade union "movement was concerned, contained provisions of a progressive character and was more advanced than any similar legislation that had been introduced .in this country or any other country.

"As to the anomalies," he added, "that is your business; and the administration of it, that is your business also; and the Minister of Labour has got to stand up to all the medicine you can give him." Mr. Armstrong said he was in a much better position' as Minister of Labour than he was previously. He now had a national organisation to consult and he asked the federation to control some of the unruly elements among the unions. "If the Government loses the support and co-operation of the 'trade union movement of New Zealand it won't last very long," said Mr. Armstrong. "That is" quite definite. I want the co-opera-tion of the . trade union movement; without it my job is absolutely impossible. I'm not complaining of the treatment I have received. I have received the utmost courtesy from the movement, but we must have unity and co-operation in both the industrial and the political field." (Applause.)