UNION COERCION CHARGE

Taranaki Daily News, 6 April 1927, Page 9

UNION COERCION CHARGE

DRIVERS APPLY FOR AWARD CRITICISM OF METHOD EMPLOYE]) COURT RESERVES DECISION. By T^lecraDh.—Press Association. Palmerston N., Last Night. Comment upon the method adopted by the Drivers’ Federation in its endeavours to make county councils parties to the Dominion Drivers’ Award, was made by the employers’ counsel at the Arbitration Court to-dav. The federation, through its counsel, brought forward an application by the drivers of the Kairanga County for the sward, to which the employers’ counsel objected on the grounds, firstly, that tho union was not authorised to make a request on behalf- of county drivers. It might be that the majority of drivers had signed the application, but he alleged they had done so under pressure from the union organisers, who stressed the operation of the preference clause, thus leading the men to believe that non-unionists would she sacked. Secondly, it was only a fortnight since the Court had experienced disapproval of the union’s citing individual local bodies, after tho main award had been disposed of last year, when the counties had been struck off the Hat of bodies cited. The union was asking the Court to deal with one county to the detriment of the remaining 129. Counsel stated that he had been instructed by the New Zealand Counties Association to protest. The union was obliged to show that the Kairanga men were dissatisfied. They had been, counsel alleged, suddenly pouneed upon by the union organisers and forced to sign under fear. The Act was being used to foment trouble instead of for improving the conditions of the workers. Evidence was given by drivers, the majority of whom declared themselves satisfied with the present conditions, but denied the threats of forcing them to sign the application. The Court reserved its decision.