Government Will Not Tolerate Go-Slow Tactics

Wanganui Chronicle, 28 January 1948, Page 7

Government Will Not Tolerate Go-Slow Tactics

(P.A.) Dunedin, Jan. 26. "Archiac, obsolete, futile” and even "stupid,” were terms applied by the Prime Minister Mr. P. Fraser, when referring to the alleged go-slow proposals in the railway workshops at Christchurch and Auckland, in an interview this morning before leaving for the north. “I hesitate to believe,” said Mr. Fraser, “that sensible men or responsible union officials could countenance the suggestion of a go-slow policy, which has been proved a futile absurdity time and again when directed against the State as the employer. Indeed, it has been defeated by many private employers who decided determinedly to counteract it.” An attempt to resurrect the archiac, obsolete and futile methods of the Syndicalists of 30 years ago showed a disastrous lack of appreciation of modern conditions, Mr. Fraser added, “I cannot think that the railway men who have so steadfastly and loyally supported the present Government will threaten or practice such measures, even if they are instigated by avowed Communists or their fellow travellers who are just their pliable tools," he said. “The Railway Department will, of course, refuse to be a willing victim of such stupid policy if such is in operation or is contemplated,” warned the Prime Minister. “It may not be necessary to take the obvious effective step such circumstances and close down sections of the workshops concerned, but certainly the Government is not going to pay for work that is not done. The amount of work done will be paid for and no more. One side of the agreement cannot hold while the other is deliberately broken.'' “The idea that the Government can be coerced by such underhand methods, is stupid and even pitiable," said Mr. Fraser “The railway unions have entered into industrial agreements and have agreed to accept the decisions of the Railway Tribunal which they asked for themselve. Common honesty, decency and honour demands that the unions whose members may be concerned in go-slow ■tactics should call upon any section of their members or the individual members involved to observe honourably the agreements which they have entered into with the Government. I believe that the unions whose members may be concerned will fulfil their accepted obligations in a responsible straight-forward and creditable manner,” Ml. Fraser concluded.