EXCLUDED FROM UNION

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIX, Issue 301, 5 December 1929, Page 5

EXCLUDED FROM UNION

WATERSIDER SUES FOR DAMAGES. AN IMPORTANT CASE. 'er Pn’F«« AsFocfation * Christchurch, Dec. 5. A case of interest to the whole ot New Zealand was heard at the Supreme Court this morning. It involves the legality of industrial unions limiting their membership to a fixed number and applies particularly to waterside workers’ unions at main ports. The limitation referred to is authorised by an award of the Arbitration Court. Edward Gillard, waterside worker at Lyttelton, before Mr. Justice Adams, sued the committee of management of the Lyttelton Waterside Workers’ Union for £5O damages for loss of work during the past year. He asked for an order that the committee should admit him as a member of the union and accept the. fees tendered bv him. The statement of claim said: “The defendants have without just cause excluded plaintiff from obtaining the privileged status conferred by membership of the said union and which status plaintiff -is entitled by Jaw to acquire, and plaintiff has been victimised bv the defendants, deprived of work and caused •much damage by the defendants’ determination to prevent him from acquiring the said status.” The defence was that Gillard did not make proper application for membership by applying to the secretary and tendering his subscription. Tho case is proceeding.