THE PRINTING TRADE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 9955, 26 April 1918, Page 4

THE PRINTING TRADE

WOMEN WORKERS AND THE MEN’S UNIONS.

Press Association,

CHRISTCHURCH, April 25. A conference was held hero this week between, representatives of the employers and employees in the printing, bookbinding and allied trades of the Dominion. Mr Hugger (Conciliation Commissioner) presided. Considerable discussion took place with regard to the advisability of women workers belonging to the men’s unions, and eventually, after a number of adjournments, the employers issued the following statement: — "The representatives of the employers in the printing, bookbinding and aljicd trades in the Dominion wish to place on record their views in connection with the present conference. (1) As the proposals before them on behalf 'of the employees concern only women workers and the latter’s representatives present (with the exception of Auckland) are delegates of men unions, to which women have only just beeti admitted' without the necessary alterations of their rules having been legally made; and (2) as no vote of the women on the specific proposals placed Before us has apparently been taken, we regret to have to state that we are not prepared to consider the proposals submitted by the workers’ representatives unless the latter are prepared to pledge themselves to form separate unions'of women workers, as has been done in Auckland, before any attempt is made to bring any such proposals into force.” Representatives of the female workers declined to pledge themselves to form a separate union of women workers and the proceedings terminated.