AUSTRALIAN WORKERS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23181, 29 October 1938, Page 14

AUSTRALIAN WORKERS

% , DOMINION ENGAGEMENTS i ' W QUESTION OF UNIONISM lit:, - .. Officials of the building trade unions to-day expressed doubts as to whether the 100 Australian building workers, who had been engaged by the Fletcher Construction Copipany for work in New Zealand would be allowed by the New Zealand Government to work there. The officials said that the New Zea- ' land Government had introduced legislation giving preference to unionists, 1 and the information of the Australian trade union leaders was that the men engaged were not members of building trade unions. "The last time the Fletcher Con;rtruction Company brought Australian bricklayers to New Zealand they dismissed some of the men alter they had been in. work only a few weeks," said the president of the Auckland Bricklayers' Union, Mr. J. F. Haw ken, last night. "This was in spite ot' a guarantee of two years' work, provided they were satisfactory tradesmen. It is to be hoped Australian tradesmen realise this. Those put off last time did not get any repatriation allowance. "While there is a shortage of labour in New Zealand at present," continued Mr. Hawken, "bricklaying work is only of a temporary nature. Later, we may be faced with unemployment. If the Fletcher Construction Company will i guarantee employment to the men they j- bring in, all will be well. If, however, c.f. the men are thrown on the market and there is a shortage of work, it must - be understood that the union will give preference to New Zealanders. "Further, there are a number of " • *aul*. apprentices in. New Zealand toV. day who in two years' time will bejourneymen," said Mr. Hawken. yThese men have to be considered."