OLD UNION ALLOWED FIVE DAYS TO AGREE TO SECRET BALLOT OR GIVE WAY TO NEW BODY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22917, 8 April 1949, Page 6

OLD UNION ALLOWED FIVE DAYS TO AGREE TO SECRET BALLOT OR GIVE WAY TO NEW BODY

(P.A.) AUCKLAND, April 8. If the deregistered Auckland Carpenters’ Union has not agreed by Tuesday to the taking of a secret ballot by the Department of Labour on the question of a go-slow policy and the resumption of normal work, registration will be granted to the new union.

This was stated by the Minister of Labour, Mr. A. McLagan, last night.

The Minister said that the statementmade by Mr R. Stanley on Wednesday that the new union of Auckland carpenters would not be registered under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act was without any foundation whatsoever. The decision as to whether or not the registration would be granted did not rest with Mr. Stanley.

“What Stanley can be certain of. however, is that, in view of his repeated deliberate and flagrant disregard of his obligations under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, he has forfeited all claim to the protection and privileges conferred by the Act and he is not even entitled to express an opinion on the question of who should be given the opoortunity of obtaining the benefits of the act, - ’ said Mr. McLagan. ' “I am advised that the new union is making steady progress that an. addi-tion-63 members joined on Wednesday and 49 more today and that, a further 57 gre in the course of being enrolled, making a total membership to date of over 830.

Apparent Majority View

“It appears that the majority of the carpenters remaining in Auckland are opposed to the go-slow, are desirous of obtaining recognition under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, are ready and willing to accept and abide bv the awards obtained under our system of industrial conciliation and arbitration and are, therefore, entitled to registration. “Howevet in view of the claim that the majority support the go-slow and are opposed to the resumption of hormal work, I am willing to defer considera tion of the application for registration until Tuesday, April 12, to give the deregistered union the opportunity to agree to have that auestion submitted to secret ballot conducted by the Department of Labour. “Shoffid the deregistered union not have agreed bv Tuesday to the taking of such a ballot by the Department of Labour it will be obvious that the new union does, in fact, represent a majority and it will then be granted registration.”

“Purely wishful thinking” was how the president of the New Zealand Master Builders’ Association, Mr. R. C. Love yesterdav descirbed a statemen made in Auckland by the secretary of the New Zealand Carpenters’ Union. Mr. Stanley, that only 300 Auckland carpenters had returned to work.

Builders’ Figures Correct

Mr. Love said the figures quoted by the Auckland Builders’ Association — between 700 and 800 —were absolutely correct and were supported by the Minister’s statement that over 700 carpenters had petitioned for the registration of the new union. “Mr. Stanley also made a statement that 105 carpenters had been engaged under a private agreement between the deregistered union and some employers. Exhaustive inquiries throughout the Auckland district have failed to reveal a single employer who signed such an agreement, and the builders of the Auckland district are still in their decision to have m de-lings with Mr. Stanley or any other official of the deregistered union,” concluded Mr. Love.