Organising Unemployed

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 7210, 17 July 1933, Page 5

Organising Unemployed

MEETING- IN PALMERSTON NORTH : r At a combined meeting of the Home Protection League and the Unemployed Workers’ Movement a further step was taken in the formation of . om union of unemployed. It was very strongly stressed that the formation at one union was not with the idea of furthering ill-conceived strike tactics, but to eo-operate for the removal of the inequalities that at present exist and also to expose the abuses of -the various schemes put into operation by the Unemployment Board. The chief objective of the one big union will be the complete abolition of tbe No. 5 scheme and the payment for labour at full rates of pay. It was clearly, shown that the putting into operation of the 1930 sustenance Act would save the country many thousands of pound* per annuam and bring about a big reduction of unemployed. The following resolutions were carried unanimously: “That this meeting of workers considering the demands being made by the Hawke’s Bay workers, namely, abolition of all camps and that standard rates of pay on all essential works to be a national issue, gives_ its support to the organisation putting forward these demands on a national basis.” “That this meeting constitutes itself a committee for the purpose of organising and convening a' monster meeting of relief workers of Palmerston North, with a view of forming one union locally. Owing to the demands being made' on the unemployed funds by those for -whom it was never intended, it is essential that the unemployed must watch carefully their own interests, otherwise there is a possibility of further cuts in sustenance to make up for the huge amount required by the board for outsiders, or in other words ‘the rich man’s dole.’ ”