Attacked By Unionists

Northern Advocate, 13 June 1947, Page 7

Attacked By Unionists

Anti-Labour had always attacked the New Zealand Waterside Workers’ Union but there was now an insidious underground propaganda taking place within the Labour movement, states the National Secretary of the Union (Mr T. Hill) in the current issue of the official publicatoin of the Federated Waterside Workers. Statements such as “the wharfies will put the Government out,” and

“the Government should use ‘scab’' labour and I would support them,” were coming from the lips of alleged trades unionists.

Mr Hill said this was a serious situation. The attacks were not warranted. The watersiders’ record in the Labour Party and trade union movement was second to none.

Mr Hill says the union had been affiliated with the Labour Party for 25 years and had assited financially in every election campaign. In 1938 every member of the union gave £1 for the election. This was repeated in 1943 and 1946.

“At the 1935 conference of the Alliance of Labour,” said Mr Hill, “we fought for support for Labour in the general election, although some people now prominently associated with the Government refused to give their support and described the then 24 Labour members in very unparliamentary language.”

Mr Hill said the reason why the union 'was being attacked was because it was protesting about the iniquitous high cost of living, demanding a reduction in profits and the easing of taxation. It was nearly impossible to live on a worker’s pay. The bulk of their wages was earned in overtime hours and they were then taxed on those earnings.