UNIONISM REJECTED.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXVI, Issue 18073, 11 January 1921, Page 9

UNIONISM REJECTED.

DECISION OF TEACHERS. STRONG OPPOSITION SHCiWN. . ENFORCEMENT OF CLAIMS. (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Jan. 7. At the conference of delegates to the New Zealand Educational Institute the discussion on the question of the formation of a Teachers’ Union was continued. Mr F. L. Coombes (Masterton) said his branch was opposed to the proposal. He congratulated those who had brought the matter up for their courage, but said the establishing of a union would result in great loss of membership. Mr W. Newton '(non-official member of the executive), said teachers did not require a union in the technical sense. It was the duty of the teachers to lead, and not attempt to drive, the people of New Zealand, and he felt conndent the institute was doing great work in that direction. There was at present a most sympathetic Minister in charge of the Education Department, and teachers should endeavour to aid him in every constitutional way. “This cry for a union comes periodically like measles or mumps,” said Mr G. W. C. McDonald (Otago). He maintained that teachers already had all the necessary powers, a fact which was proved by the reforms the institute had secured in years gone by—classification, superannuation, improvement in salaries, and the Court of Appeal. By following the old system to educate, ' agitate, and legislate, the institute could do all that was required. “What are we going t.o gain by becoming a union?” he asked. “We don’t get all we ask from the Minister at present, but we can’t go along in the belief that we will get all we ask from the Arb'tration oCurt, and if we don’t, are we going to strike or “go slow” or what

“NO NECESSITY TO STRIKE.” Mr N. H. S. Law (Auckland) pointed out that the formation of a union did not necessarily mean striking. Auckland had, never associated itself with the idea of unionism, as understood by many of the speakers. Mr F. A. Garry (member of the executive) opposed the remit as it stood, but supported the first half. t desirable that teachers should not be placed in a fale position by leading the public to believe they were associating themselves with labour unions as they existed to-day. Mr L. F. de Berry (Wanganui), pointed to the number of remits dealing with the constitution of the institute, and said these indicated that many of the branches felt there was not already existing the machinery needed to secure for teachers their just rights.