LABOUR POLICY

Grey River Argus, 30 April 1932, Page 6

LABOUR POLICY

OPEN CONFERENCE Details of Report “The recent action of the Government in abolish ng the compulsory clauses of the Ai bit rat ion Act, leaves no option to the trades unionists of the Dominion but to take industrial direct action to protect their standard of living and ensure reasonable condit’ons of employ ment, ” states a clause in the report that was adopted by the open industrial Labour conference that sat in Wellington recently, and will now be discussed throughout New Zealand. “The policy adopted by the Government therefore compels the conference to advise th e workers that they must be prepared to take a definite stand to maintain a living wage and the hardwon conditions of employment which have bee n obtained by the industrial organisations.

“With this end in view, we recommend an immediate propaganda campaign to resist any further attempt to lower wages or make worse conditions of employment; that the National Council be empowered to take such act on as may be deemed necessary to protect the interests of any affiliated organisation when wage rates or conditions of employment are attacked; and that the conference and the trades unions of the Dominion pledge themselves to give all the support in their power to any organisation involved in a struggle to mainta’n their conditions of ein p'l oymen t. ” e Among the recommendations are the following:— The immediate organisation of national unions in all industries where there are at present industrial federations o‘r associations.

Cancellation of registration under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act by local unions. This will not L)'c affected until the national union is functioning,, and until such time as the joint Industrial Council and National Council (hereinafter provided) so decide. Grouping of all workers in one industry intto one industrial department, to be controlled by a joint council, which shall be representative of all unions in the group. POWERS OF NATIONAL UNION. The National Union shall have powei to conduct its own business except 'that (a) it must submit for approval all claims for industrial agreements to the joint council of the department and the National Council; (b) no industrial agreement shall be signed unless it is first approved by the joint council, and the National Council; (c) The Na. I tional Union shall do everything i n its I power to carry out the instructions of the joint council f and the National Council. Should the National Union be unable to arrive at a settlement of a dispute, the matter shall be immediately referred to .the joint council. There shall be established a National Council elected by representatives of all industrial departments subject to the control of the annual conference. The National Council shall manage the business of organisation and shall advise and assist all industrial departments and unions in the settlement

of disputes or on any matter which they may deem advisable. STATE EMPLOYEES. “Regarding the State employees represented at the conference.” the report continues, “we recommend that they institute a joint committee, compr sing delegates from the A.S.R.S., the P. and T. Employees’ Association, the Engine Drivers, Firemen and Cleaners’ Association, and the Railway Tradesmens’ Association, and this committee shall be allowed representation on the National Council for the purposes of assisting the nat'onal un ions and departments in the settlement of disputes. “An industrial disputes’ board shall be appointed by the National Council. The National Council shall establish industrial distr'et councils whereever it may be deemed necessary. “We recommend that a general workers’ union be organised to include general labourers,, shearers, and shed hands, harvesting and threshing mill workers and men engaged in farm work generally, nie n employed ; n construction work by the Public Works Department, men employed by public, bodies at general labouring work, and such other workers as cannot be organised into national unions governing one industry.”