INDEPENDENT MOOD

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 September 1946, Page 6

INDEPENDENT MOOD

TRADE UNION MOVEMENT AND GOVERNMENT “FOREIGN POLICY” ISSUES [SPECIAL TO STAB.] WELLINGTON, Sept. 18. Butter will not go to America nor wool to Spain if the rank and file of the waterside unions win the day on these issues in the next few weeks. There is a growing tendency towards a vigorous trade union policy on these matters, irrespective of the wishes of political leaders. The demand for an active, independent policy for the unions has developed since the butterMorAmerica and wool-for-Spain’ issues v?ere raised, and it is likely that the Government’s intentions in these matters will be defeated from within the trade union movement. There is extreme reluctance to load wool for Spain. The refusal of the seamen to handle it still stands. Watersiders' Views.

The butter-for-America issue may be raised again on the Wellington waterfront, where an insistent demand has been made for the abolition of butter rationing on the grovuid that New Zealand butter does not reach the people it should in Britain. Calls for independent trade union action are made in the current issues of leading trade union journals. In particular the New Zealand Transport Worker, the official organ of the New Zealand Waterside Workers Union, is outspoken. It says: “It must be clearly undei stood that the Labour Party was born within the trade union movement out of the necessity for the unions to have political expression and influence. It was never intended that the child should dictate to the parent The British trade union movement has always been adamant on this issue. “The idea that a trade union movement expressing an independent opinion on any important question debs not stand examination. The Labour Government will be returned. The workers have legitimate giievances, but not to the extent that they would vote the Government out.

Ministers and Top Hats. The journal continues: “The Government that is not open to criticism has not yet been conceived, and the trade union movement must voice its approval or disapproval on Budgets, compulsory military training, or the appointment of a Governor-General, or even to Cabinet Ministers weai - ing top hats, no matter what Government is in power. If the Labour Government is to survive a strong trade union movement is necessary. “We cannot allow ourselves to be acquiescent to the extent of refraining from expressing our views, and, if necessary, taking industrial action in any given situation, because we cannot agree with the Government of the day. We must be adamant in retaining our identity, and we can do this and still support the Government. . , <c lf we are to maintain and. strengthen our influence in the battle for a few instalments of the muchvaunted New Order we must be prepared to speak our minds. A movei ment that believes that all its ills are solved by the election of a Government is heading for its wreckters and Drivers.

Carpen ... The official journal of the New Zealand Carpenters’ Union and ol the Auckland Drivers' Union (which raised the wool-for-Spain question) has declared: “When Auckland workers refused to handle wool destined to make uniforms for a Fascist arrfiy, they were declaring the independent foreign policy of workers all over the world.” . , . . In these statements is contained the mood of the trade union movement at the moment, a mood of independence which may prompt them to implement their own “foreign policy” without further deference to their political leaders.