LABOURERS' FEDERATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14806, 9 October 1911, Page 5

LABOURERS' FEDERATION.

GREAT ORGANISATION PROPOSED..

There is, says the ' Sydney Morning Herald, a movement— rather, several movements—on foot for the amalgamation of the unions of labourers throughout Australia, and the formation of one great : Federal body.

This organisation will, if accomplished 1 , include all the branches of unskilled labour, and will number in its membership tens of thousands of workers.

In Victoria the movement has already made headway by the amalgamation of the United Labourers' Union with the Railway Workers and General Labourers' Union. >■

In South Australia the United Labourers' Union covers all * labourers except builders' labourers, who have a separate organisation. In New South Wales the Railway Workers and General Labourers' Association, numbering 4000 members, covers the railway, water conservation, and similar works in the country, whilst the United Labourers' Protective Society, with over 2000 members, practically has the city workers in its membership. There are, besides, other labourers' unions, such as the builders' labourers, which numbers about 700 members. Efforts are being made to bring the Builders' Labourers ..and the United Labourers' Unions together, but as the former was originally formed by a secession from the latter union, the prospects are not bright. The Builders' Labourers' Union might, however, be prepared to come into a federation, in which their separate entity would be recognised, embracing all labourers. Negotiations are pending between the United Labourers' Union and the Railway Workers' and General Labourers' Association for an amalgamation of the two bodies. A conference has been arranged between the United Labourers' Union in Victoria and the Railway Workers' Association in New South Wales, as well as other bodies of labourers throughout the States, to discuss the question of a federation throughout Australia.