OFFICIALS WARNED

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 62, Issue 4404, 19 March 1941, Page 5

OFFICIALS WARNED

MAINTENANCE OF COMPULSORY UNIONISM

FARMERS’ UNION PROTEST.

A remit from the Pahiatua branch of the Wairarapa Farmers’ Union concerning the employment of nonunion labour and the liability of the farmer under the award was the subject of a long discussion at a meeting of the executive in Masterton on Monday. The chairman, Mr R. W. Kebbell, said the same pin-pricking methods used by the union officials last season had better not be employed in the coming year. . He had known of trouble narrowly averted on several occasions last season, and he could say that next season, when labour troubles and other worries would be more serious than even at present, the farmers could not be blamed if they failed to pour oil on waters that had been made troubled by union officials, and let these gentry placate the men themselves or take what the men handed out to them. “If the same sort of thing goes on next year as went on last, then those union officials can make up their minds that there is going to be trouble,” said Mr Kebbell, who instanced a number of cases of compulsory unionism in unusual circumstances which had been brought to his notice. Mr L. Anderson: In accordance with the remit, I move that this meeting emphatically protests against the maintenance of compulsory unionism. Mr J. L. Heckler: For the duration of the war, at least. Mr J. C. Cooper: I entirely agree. But what chance have you got of getting any notice taken of such a motion ? Voices: “Put it up to them”—-“Let them see how we feel.” The motion was passed unanimously.