WIDENING GAP

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20627, 1 December 1941, Page 4

WIDENING GAP

UNION OFFICIALS “WELL-PAID JOBS” MR. SULLIVAN’S VIEWS The charge that under the present system of compulsory unionism the object of many trades union secretaries was to widen the gap between employer and employee, and that at every ’ opportunity they widened the gap, was made by iMr. W. Sullivan, National candidate for the Bay of Plenty seat, when speaking in Ormond on Saturday night. Mr. R. Graham presided over a good attendance. Many workers, he said, resented having to contribute substantial annual dues to their unions, especially as a large proportion of those dues went to keep trades union officials in well-paid jobs. Referring to the 40-hour week, Mr. Sullivan said the National Party did not contemplate abolishing it, but it did hold the view that under wartime conditions, where special urgency was required in production, workers in important industries should be asked to work extended hours. He was sure 99 per cent, of the workers would gladly do so to assist the war effort, but the trades union bosses certainly would try to slop them. Limitation of Hours One reason for the shortage of milk cans, he said, was that in addition to material being in short supply owing to pre-war import restrictions, the limited hours of work prevented full . production of cans. There was no limit on the farmers’ hours, however, and the Bay of Plenty farmers had shown their readiness to assist the war effort by working two shifts a day to plant maize when the Government requested them to do so. A vote of thanks to Mr. Sullivan was carried on the motion of Mr. R. Campbell, seconded by Mr. J. Turnbull. He also addressed a meeting at Kaitaratahi in the afternoon, when the chairman was Mr. R. Dods, and the vote of thanks to the speaker was moved by Mr. O. Hansen. Yesterday Mr. Sullivan returned to Whakatane and will address meetings in Opotiki, Whakatane, and Awakeri before returning to this side of the electorate to address a meeting in Matawai on Thursday evening.