NATIONALISATION OF AIR SERVICES

Grey River Argus, 21 April 1945, Page 8

NATIONALISATION OF AIR SERVICES

There are persistent rumours that the Go intends in the near future to follow the example oi t e ’ lian Government and nationalise civil air services. J enough, these rumours are causing no little speculation a i t, employees of commercial aviation companies as to their possible industrial future. If the. Government does take over all civil air services, will present employees of commercial aviation companies ie am their employment? And if so, will they retain then piesenc wage-scales, status, conditions, and prospects of aclvancemen . Or will they be largely replaced by rehabilitated Air boice men, and the remainder relegated to positions where prospects of advancement are remote? These are the questions uppeimost in the minds of those employed in the industry. Going on past experience of the Labour Government, and taking the nature of civil aviation into consideration, \\c do not believe the employees of private concerns which would be taken over by the State, have anything whatever to tear from nationalisation. To the contrary, we are convinced that nationalisation would make more secure their future. employment and ensure advancement ifi their calling in line with their ability, experience, and service, to a much greater degree than could be hoped for while employed by private enterprise. Air Force men, whatever their experience and standing in the service, could not be used in commercial aviation without some preparatory training. A thorough knowledge of the regulations which govern commercial aviation—and which are rigidly enforced in the interests of safety of the travelling public—would be essential for newcomers, besides the need to become accustomed to commercial types of aircraft. Commercial aviation in New Zealand is in its infancy. Existing air services are hopelessly inadequate to cope v ith the business offering. With the end of the war will come gieat expansion. The industry is much too vital to be left in the hands of profit-hunting private enterprise. Nationalisation of air transport is not only desirable, but necessary. It would Ije far better for the State to take over the industry now than to wait until after its development takes place. Hundreds of ex-Air Force personnel will find employment in civil aviation in the near future and the present comparatively small number of emloyees—plus those Air Force men who were previously employed in the industry—will form the nucleus for training these hundreds of new employees. It is pleasing to note that aviation company employees have thrown overboard their guild form of industrial organisation. The guilds were nothing more than company unions and proved to be entirely ineffective lor providing industrial protection. The men have linked up with the industrial movement by joining en masse the Engineers’ Union which has created an aircraft workers section within the organisation. Through the Engineers’ Union, aircraft workers become a part of the Federation of Labou r. This in itself is a guarantee that their interests will be fully safeguarded both during and after any period of reshuffling made necessary by the nationalisation of commercial air services.