TIMARU FIREMAN RESIGNS: “FORCED TO JOIN UNION”

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 February 1949, Page 8

TIMARU FIREMAN RESIGNS: “FORCED TO JOIN UNION”

(PA.) TIMARU, This Day. Mr S. A. Watt has resigned from the Timaru Fire Brigade, after nearly 31 years’ service. In a letter to the Timaru Fire Board, received today, Mr Watt said that he was resigning .because of his being forced to join the union, “which I am not in agreement with.” The letter was dated December 30, and Mr Watt asked that his resignation take effect from December 31. As his service was a few months short of 31 years he asked that the board allow him to continue as a voluntary member, without any remuneration, to obtain his service honours.

The matter was one which was cropping up all over New Zealand? said the chairman (Mr W. H. Hall). It had not been fixed up in spite of several conferences, although partial agreements had been reached. The Government would like to see an agreement arrived at, but it was not “pushing” to make one, said Mr Hall. “I do not think the Government will make a decision, and in the meantime auxiliary firemen are slipping out, which is very unfortunate.” Mr Hall said that he was particularly sorry that Mr Watt was going to leave. He advised Mr Watt not to resign, and told him that the union could sue the board for. employing a non-unionist. “My attitude was, let them sue us,” said Mr Hall.