POWER OF UNIONISM.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 166, 13 June 1940, Page 9

POWER OF UNIONISM.

. REFLECTED IN WAGES. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, June 12. “Who would have thought it possible that the waterside workers would be able to obtain for five hours’ continuous work on Saturday a sum more than three times as much as a soldier received’ for a whole day?” said the Dominion secretary of the- N.Z. Farmers’ Union, Mr A. P. O’Shea, when he spoke briefly on the power of organisation to the annua] conference of the Dominion Council of Commercial Gardeners, to-day. Mr O'Shea said he did not commend the example of an organisation for this purpose, but it showed what could, be done by an organised . body. The sum these watersiders received for five hours was correspondingly. . greater .than-the Territorials shortly to be called up would receive for a six days’ training week. .For the Saturday lunch hour alone, if 'he carried on, the watersider -would receive a sum in excess of the soldier’s full day’s pay. Deferring to the proposal for one big union of producers, Mr O’Shea said many thought the Farmers’ Union wanted to absorb other producers’ organisations This was not the position. The union was of itself a great body with a financial membership of 28,000. None the less, unity was wanted '.'for. all sections of primary industry—the unity that there should :be in the country nationally. Eventually it was hoped to have an organisation like that of the National Farmers’ Union of Great Britain; Western Australia already had a similar body. If New Zealand could, too, wonders could be worked. To-day in Europe they saw the power pf organisations as the Hitler machine rolled over France. In that day’s paper tliev: saw. too. that the watersiders got 21 s fid for five hours’ continuous work. If the producers had one great organisation they should be able to adjust the balance in the scale which was now against them';"