Wharfies Make Peace With FOL. Carpenters To Withdraw Court Action

Northern Advocate, 20 May 1949, Page 3

Wharfies Make Peace With FOL. Carpenters To Withdraw Court Action

WELLINGTON, Fri. (Sp.).—-The New Zealand Waterside Workers’ Union has made its peace with the Federation of Labour. The New Zealand Carpenters’ Union is to withdraw the injunction action in connection with the Auckland caipenteis dispute, set down for hearing in the Wellington Supreme Court. These were the two main features yesterday at the annual conference of the Federation of Labour, which had _ threatened to suspend 6923 watersiders because of a certain allegedly offensive letter to the federation and a statement by then national secretary (Mr T. Hill).

The conference spent the morning discussing the national executive’s pi-oposal to suspend the Watersiders’ Union until it had apologised for and withdrawn the letter. The federation’s spokesman said the national secretary (Mr K. McL. Baxter) had moved the motion to suspend the union. The secretary of the Lyttelton Waterside Workers’ Union (Mr J. Flood) had moved an amendment that a special committee of five members of the conference should be set up to investigate the matter and bring down a report as soon as possible 1 during the conference. The amendment was defeated by 239 votes to 36. Speaking from the platform, the national president of the Waterside Workers’ Union (Mr H. Barnes) had said the expulsion of a union was a

serious step. The vice-president of the federation (Mr F. P. Walsh) had intervened to say that there was no question of expulsion. The national executive was merely asking for the suspension of the watersiders until an apology had been offered. Mr Barnes had continued that he would still use the word expulsion. He said Mr Hill’s remarks had been withdrawn and he thought that was that.

When the conference resumed after the luncheon adjournment, Mr Barnes had made a statement that his union’s delegates had decided to recommend to the union the withdrawal of the letter and the statement of Mr Hill. This was accepted by the president (Mr A. W. Croskery) and referred to the national executive.