Government Accepts Unions’ Challenge On Strike Bill

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 September 1947, Page 4

Government Accepts Unions’ Challenge On Strike Bill

WELLINGTON, Sept. 1.

For the first time since the Labour Government came to power in 1935, it will attempt this week to pass legislation which has been disapproved by the Federation of Labour. The council of the federation a week ago refused by 12 votes to 11 to endorse the Government’s proposed amendment to the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, especially as it applies to the compulsory taking of secret ballots before strikes.

The Government has accepted the challenge and at the top of the House of Representatives order paper for tomorrow is the disputed bill.

The Government has been uneasy since last Easter that the militants captured by a small majority control of the national council of the federation, but this is the first time that this uneasiness has been translated into positive action by the Parliamentary Labour Party, which normally has been happy to agree with the federation. The Minister of Labour (Mr A. McLagan) has conducted unsuccessful negotiations with the federation on the bill for some weeks. As a former president of the federation, Mr McLagan knows more of the interior workings of that organisation than any other man in the Government. The decision to go forward with the secret ballot legislation against the federation’s wish is regarded in political circles• as the first round in a battle between industrial and political laboui.