FEDERATION OF LABOUR.

Otago Witness, Issue 3348, 15 May 1918, Page 17

FEDERATION OF LABOUR.

REMITS FOR CONFERENCE. The Otago Labour Council at a meeting on Saturday evening instructed the secretary to forward the following remits to the conference of the United Federation of Labour, to be held in Wellington in July: " That the constitution of the federation be. amended to provide that representation at the annual conference shall be confined to district councils and trade federations, and that only -such unions as are specified in clause 4 of the constitution be entitled to separate representation, representation for all bodies to be one delegate for each 1000 members or fraction of IGOO.

" That the conference deplore the action of the Government in twice extending the life of Parliament, and, in view of the serious misgovernment of the country and the growing discontent of the people, declare that a general election should be held this vear. "That, with a view to the establishment of universal unionism, district councils be urged to request unions to inaugurate a half-yearly prepaid contribution card (such card to be issued at a reduced rate), together with a system of transfer payments between unions, eo that a unionist may change hi 3 occupation without payment of entrance fee and pay his subscription to the union under whose award he is working. ■' That the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act be amended to provide for the registration of the recognised general rules of trade unions, including benefit rules.

" That the conference confirm the policy .of compulsory unionism, and that the federation take such steps as are deemed necessary to have compulsory unionism made statute law.

_ " That the federation deplore the opposition of the Government to the necessary overdue amendments of the labour laws, and make special endeavours to have our industrial legislation amended in the direction of making better provision for the protection of the workers."