LABOUR VIEW

Evening Star, Issue 25770, 17 April 1946, Page 10

LABOUR VIEW

EMPLOYERS DESIRE STRIKES TO HIT GOVERNMENT (P.A.) WELLINGTON, April 16. " I .am satisfied that some employers desire strikes," says Mr T. Hill, secretary of the New Zealand Waterside Workers' Union, and a member of the National Executive of the New Zealand Federation of Labour, writing in the official organ of the Federated Waterside Workers. His statement is headed, " Industrial peace?—yes, on our terms." " An election will take place* this year," Mr Hill says, " and if these empolyers can provoke a strike situation it will react against the Government. Some employers openly stated prior to the last election, ' Let us have a strike on the waterfront and that will be the graveyard of the Government.' The same gentlemen are hoping that will happen to-day. " We see, for instance, the unwillingness of the Wellington City Council to roach a settlement with the Tramwaymen's Union on the vital question of

overloading, and the hesitation of the Harbour Boards Association to concede the legitimate claims of the union. " The granting of the legitimate claims of the workers will open the road to industrial ipeace," the. article concludes. " Without that it will be a waste of time. Let employers give us some tangible evidence of their sincerity by granting us some say in the control of industry. Then we can talk industrial peace."