“NO CHOICE BUT TO SEEK WAGE RISES-GOODS’ PRICE SPIRAL”

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22624, 29 April 1948, Page 6

“NO CHOICE BUT TO SEEK WAGE RISES-GOODS’ PRICE SPIRAL”

(P.A.) DUNEDIN, April 28. “Today we arc continually faced with the necessity of striving for increased wage rates to catch up with increased prices,” said the president, Mr. A. AV. Croskery, in an address to the conference of the New Zealand Federation of Labour. “We are aware that additional wages will not necessarily raise the standard of living. AVe have no alternative, however, while the prices of imported goods continue to skyrocket.

“We also claim that with the increase in goods and services in New Zealand workers should receive an increased and more equitable share in the production of the Dominion.” Some Progress Made Mr. Croskery said that since the last conference some progress had been made in the affairs of the trade union movement. Features of the year in relation to the efforts of the trade union movement had been the increase in the standard hourly wage rates, the large amount of legislation passed in the 1947 session of Parliament, and the number of industrial disputes that had been settled in the main satisfactorily to the workers. The policy of the Federation of Labour since its inception, said Mr. Croskery, had been to settle disputes by negotiation and arbitration under the Labour Government. At times it might be necessary to use the organisation and the strength of the trade union movement in an effort to remove injustices, or prevent victimisation. He was sure that no one would deprecate a militant policy for that purpose. ‘‘Let us be careful.’ he added, “that we use that militant spirit with caution and commonsense. Do not let ■us indulge in conflict for conflict s “Let our militancy be for constructive purposes and for the good of the

trade union movement, the Labour movement difficulty and the general welfare of the people of the Dominion. It is easy to take strike action nowadays when there are more jobs than people to fill them. "Such Tactics arc Destructive” "There are a few trade unionists who desire to take such advantage in these circumstances, basing their actions on the theory that every economic difficulty should be taken advantage of for the purpose of paving the way for creating confusion within the confines of capitalism, creating disillusionment, cultivating revolutionary circumstances and hoping ultimately to capture power. “The Federation of Labour regards such tactics as destructive. We seek to create unity, to keep our forces intact and to move forward in co-operation with a sympathetic Labour Government. believing that by this method we will be more likely to achieve progress, prosperity and security in New Zealand. “We will oppose any action creating disruption and misery in New Zealand. We will fight militantly to remove injustices for a better life for workers and to advance the economic life of the Dominion, believing that by this method we will get better every day and in every way.”