LABOR IN AUCKLAND

Evening Star, Issue 15478, 28 April 1914, Page 3

LABOR IN AUCKLAND

NO POLITICAL COHESION. [Special to the Stab.] . AUCKLAND, April 27. [ The lecent decision of the delegates from the Auckland labor unions, who met together to consider the question of setting up a district labor council in tho Auckland industrial district, not to proceed further with the proposal is indicative to somo extent of the want of cohesion in the ranks of Labor in these parts. It is some years now since the District Labor Council represented at all ade-’ quatoly the opinion of - the trade unions- in Auckland- Last year, the few unions which made some sort of attempt to maintain the District Labor Council unanimously decided to merge their fortunes in the United Labor party ■ movement initiated, in” New Zealand by Mr W. T. Mills., The United. Labor party have never flourished in' Auckland as an effective organisation, and although it showed signs of a forward movement for a little while last year, it soon dropped back into a comatose state, and is now to all intents and purposes moribund. The keener Labor leaders who endeavored to draw a clear line of demarcation between the United Labor party and tho old Federation of Labor, with the avowed' object of rallying the forces into distinguishable units of a militant character, did not meet with any success. The Waterside Workers’ Union, which existed in the days before the strike, was the only considerable body, of unionists in Auckland that followed the colors of the Federation of Labor. • The General Laborers’ Union fell apart from internal dissension at. the time, of the Waihi, strike, and an Arbitration union arose who now keep their gaze steadily, though not with marked enthusiasm, on the Arbitration Act. The Auckland Tramway Union, always a self-centred and self-contained body of 700 workers, also cut adrift from the Federation of Labor after the Waihi debacle. Tins union to-day own no other restraining influence than their own constitution and an agreement with tho Tramway Company. All the other unions in Auckland are registered under the Arbitration Act, so that there seems to bo no obstacle in the way of their uniting to elect a district council. It was apparent, however, from the tons of the recent conference in Wellington of what were with some tinge of bitterness called genuine Arbitration unions that their delegates were disposed to flirt with Social Democracy, and even with the still more uncertain United Labor party. No unions, as unions, belong to the Auckland branch of the Social Democratic party, but the organisation, claim a large membership of individual members of trade unions. The avowed intention of such officials of the United Federation of Labor as are still modestly but, tenaciously clinging to office to hold a congress in July is taken by the Auckland Labor leaders as an intimation of an attempt to revive the United Federation of Labor as a federation of all the Arbitration unions. Whatever the feeling in other cases may be. it is quite certain that the proposal will not meet with general favor among tho Auckland unions. Powerful bodies like the carpenters, timber workers, engine-drivers, plumbers, plasterers, and painters will almost certainly have nothing to do with it. These unions share the feeling against the Arbitration unions formed during the strike, such as the Ohinemuri Miners’ Union (who are successors of the old Waihi Miners’ Union), the Taupiri Miners’ Union (who are successors of tho old Huntly Miners’ Union), and various “new waters Mer workers’ unions,” all of which were excluded from the recent conference of “ genuine Arbitration unions.” At the same time, they will not throw in their lot with the United Federation leaders, notwithstanding the almost general strike in November, which was really an ill-considered protest against the employment of special constables at a time of great stress. It may therefor© be said that the forces of Labor in Auckland just now show no signs of becoming a united force to be reckoned with as a political factor at the forthcoming elections. Every union is, in a manner of spefeking, minding its own business, and endeavoring to build up the financial strength so rudely shaken at the strike time. There is no leader in whom all or even a majority of the unions .are prepared to place their trust.