FEDERATED LABOUR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14155, 6 March 1908, Page 2

FEDERATED LABOUR

!■ PROPOSED CONSTITUTION;

In view of. tlie fact., that » questipn of federated labour in tlie Dominion is /frequent matter of discussion in unron circles, at the present moment, and the -Now Zealand Trades and Labour Oounfflls constitution in; Wsular, which has been remitted to the local body for consideration, we publish the constitution as drawn up by,the last conference, of from the councils,in all parts of New Zealand. The constitution reads as follows:twr' NEW ZEALAND TRADES AND. LABOUR FBDEItAMON CONSTITU-

1 Narhe.-The name of this organisation shall be the New Zealand! Trades and Labour P a. e objwtß:-The objects of the (fetation shall be:' (ft) To secure, by all just mw, the best possible advantages for all olwsetf of labour throughout 'Zealand; (b) to maintain a spirit of fraternal sympathy with, the workers of: all other countries;' (q) to uphold the rights'of all workers to ft remuneration equivalent to the full value of their ■labour'*power; (d) to affirm the dis-. tinct identity of labour as a factor m the fi>ld of politics. , 3.-Qualiuwvtions.— Every:union desiring to enter into affiliation with the federation must be a bona fide trade, ar labour body,' and every delegate ,from each and. every union must be a bona fide member of the union desiring representation. • i. Composition .—The federation shall be composed' of a .federal council, district councils, and unions (the union being the unit of organisation and membership). ;. 6. Powers of Government.—Powers of government within the federation shall be exercised as follows: (a) The federal council shall have full powers of control in respect to all matters of a colonial or national character; provided that-it take the advice of the several district councils on such questions'.ae .have not been previously considered by them. The counoil at its annual meeting, to be held in the month of • of each year, shall name, the district council to appoint the executive for tho ensuing term, and such district council (named) shall fulfil that duty;', the executive to consist of » president, secretary, apd treasurer, together wih four. other members; no merober of tho executive to hold office in a'district council, (b) Bach district council shall have full powers of control ovor all matters falling within its district;' provided that each suoh council shall take the advice of the unions affiliated to it, on suoh questions of opinion as the union. delegates may be seriously divided on. (c) Each union shall -have. full powers of control over its own internal affairß, and shall have powers of representation in the council of its district and through it the federal council, (d) The federal council, district councils, and unions shall, eaoh and all, have power to adopt rules and appoint offlcerß for their own guidance; provided that none of theee acts shall run counter to, or confliot with, the general constitution of the federation, and, also, that the rules of the federal counoil shall be . subject to approval of a majority of the district councils, and those of each district council, of a majority of the unions in affiliation with it. ;

6. Duties.—The following shall be recognised as Die duties »f. federal council, district councils, and unions respectively: (a) It shall be the duty of the federal council to watch over tho interests of labour irornj the colony's standpoint, and seek to give effect to the collective judgment ■ of' the: workers as expressed through the representations of the district councils and unions of the federation, (b) It shall be the duty of eaoh district oounoil, with the assistance of the federal council, to organise' the workers within its district; give effect to the mind of the workers as expressed through the representations of the unions; and loyally support tho federal council in its work, (c) It shall be tho duty of each arid every union to exeroise its full powers of representation towards the effective carrying out of the work of the federation; to loyally support the district councils and federal council in their final decisions; and to act as one party in forwarding the interests of the federation on all- questions of local or genera] labour policy. 7. Eopresentation.-Eack union shall • represented on the council of its district bv one delegate for each 25, or fraction of 25, inembeiß-nnancial-on its books; but 2 that „<, umon shall have more than «fc presented on, the federal council by one delegate,.. and for every 750 unionists (or ™°» affiliated to the S*,6 shall be entitled to another delegate ? *fL? aSSlfioa '° n ° f B the more effective carrymg QII n{ tl)e f tret councils the business shall be dealt with in three departments as follows:-]) Social section; Dealing with the'social and MwT 1 ! B '^. 01 the )abour movement, 2) industrial section: Dealing with thepurelv 2% M m '??W oi tho Mmm nowviSJ '■ lcal action: Dealing solely With tho political side of the labour move ment,

9. Meetings.—Members of t,he federal council shall meet together in conference in thn month' of — of each year, at such planas the council may from time to time decide and shit)) moot on such other occasions as the district councils may determine, District : counoils arid unions shall meet in accordant wi% their s>m mles.

I" ' ' ! uri 10. Revenue.—Each union shall contribute towards the finances of its district council tho sum, of threepence (3d) per member each quarter-for all financial members ou Ha books. Each district council shall contribute towards the finances of the federal council the'sum of one penny (Id) per annum, for each unionist affiliated to it. The federal council shall have power to levj on the district councils for any special object which has been agreed to by a majority of the several district councils.

11. Elcctibns.-In all'elections for the filling of offices on the federal council the voting shall be by ballot of the members of the district council making tho selection. "■ 12. Political Action and Hclations.—(a) Parliamentary Committee: For the purpose of safeguarding the interests of the workers, the district council at Wellington shall bo empowered to annually elect, and from time to' timei fill vacancies occurring on a standing Parliamentary Committee. Tho duties of such-committee to be: To carefully investigate all legislative proposals and measures brought forward affecting labour; roport from timo to time to the executive (and the federal, council when in session); make representations to Ministers ond Parliament on behalf of tha federation; and generally act for the federation in watching over the legislative interests of its branches and members; (W Party action: The federation shall refram from entering into alliance with ony political ,' party other than a distinct Labour putty.- and ' shall only take action on party lines on the direct mandate of the unions in affiliation In local government affairs the district councils may take action in agreement with the unions in working reforms or in nmhine Labour candidates for election '