TRADES UNIONS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21922, 17 January 1946, Page 6

TRADES UNIONS

CLAIM TO VOICE CONSULTATIVE ROLE MR FRASER'S OBJECTIONS LONDON, Jan. 15. The general committee of the United Nations this morning considered a request by the World Federation of Trade Unions that it should be represented in a purely consultative capacity in the Assembly. After discussion, the committee appointed a sub-committee to meet representatives of the federation to discuss the Question of the federation being heard at the Assembly. The sub-committee consists of M. Paul Boncour, France, Mr. Peter Fraser, Mr. P. J. Noel-Baker, M. Maniulski, Dr. MacEachen (Uruguay).

M Kuznetsov, president of the Russian’ Central Council of Trades Unions, supported the request. He argued that the World Federation of Trade Unions, representing 65,000,000 workers, should be represented in UNO. M. Paul Boncour said he thought the proper place foi' a discussion on this question should be the General Assembly. He said that if the Federation of Trade Unions was admitted to UNO there would be similar demands from other organisations. Mr. Peter Fraser pointed out that the subject might occupy the centre of the whole discussion in the Assembly or be submerged with other matters of world-wide importance. The request. as outlined by the Soviet delegate. would involve a complete fundamental alteration of the constitution of the United Nations Organisation. ‘The basis of UNO is representation of countries, not organisations, national or international,” he said. “I am unable to take intelligent action or vote until I find out from the leaders of the World Trade Union Congress what exactly they want. If it is to have a standing equal to nations that would cut across everything and would not only be drastic but revolutionary.” Mr. Fraser added that the request before the committee was not the same as that made at San Francisco. Such an important departure from the constitution would have to be referred to the respective countries. Pie agreed with Mr. P. J. Noel-Baker that the matter should be deferred for fuller information.