COMPULSORY UNIONISM

Evening Star, Issue 22343, 20 May 1936, Page 2

COMPULSORY UNIONISM

MANDATE ONLY RELATIVE EMPLOYERS* VIEW '[Pee United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, May 19. Clause 16 of the industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill, as redrafted by the Labour Bills Committee, has been interpreted to mean that every person employed in industry must join a union. According to Mr W. E. Anderson, secretary of the Auckland Employers’ Association, that idea is incorrect. The actual meaning of the clause, in Mr Anderson’s opinion, is that ’compulsory preference to unionists is established in respect of any industrial employment the conditions of which are prescribed by au award or agreement. Persons employed in an industry or section of an industry not covered by an award are, therefore, not bound to join any union. The test phrase is—“The industry to which the award or agreement relates,” and the term industry is interpreted to mean the class of /workers to whom the award or agreement relates. Any form of employment may be brought within the jurisdiction of this legislation by the formation of a union and the making of an award or an agreement, but until this action has been completed compulsory unionism is effective only in relation to existing unions working under awards or agreements. The employees in any industry to which an award relates who are exempted from the operation of the award by a specific provision in it will still bo exempt, and the compulsory preference provisions will not apply to them.