GENERAL WAGE INCREASE OF TWO POUNDS A WEEK RECOMMENDED

Wanganui Chronicle, 16 December 1949, Page 6

GENERAL WAGE INCREASE OF TWO POUNDS A WEEK RECOMMENDED

Carpenters' Suggestion To The N.Z. Federation Of Labour

WELLINGTON, Last Night (PA). —Application for a general wage increase of £2 a week should be considered by a special conference of the Federation of Labour, recommends the New Zealand Carpenters’ and Joiners’ Union.

The union, in a two-day conference, ended at Wellington today, i .‘commended that such special conference should also consider “other urgent questions facing the trade union movement.’’ A resolution passed by the conference was: “In view of the changed political situation, the conference calls upon its members to shed the illusion of the past 14 years that progress could safely be left to the political machine. The conference urges its members to defend and advance its living standards by strengthening to the utmost their trade union organisation, and to unite more closely with tne whole trade union movement for peace and progress.’’ Administrative problems that had arisen through some of its national officers being no longer eligible for office by virtue of their being members of the now deregistered Auckland union, were discussed at the conference, which was called specially to consider - the situation arising out of registration of the new carpenters’

union at Auckland. The officers affected were the national secretary, Mr. Stanley, one vice-president, Mr. W. A. Greig, and two members of the national executive, Mr. J. R. French and Mr. D. McWean. A statement by the conference today says it was called to consider the resignation of those officers, who wished to join the new Carpenters’ Union in Auckland. “In order to help take it away from employer control and restore it to the workers?’ The conference recorded its praise for Messrs. Stanley, Greig, French and McEwan, and made them honorary members of the National Union. New officers to succeed these from the deregistered union, appointed by the conference, were Mr. F. R. Langley, retiring president as national secretary, Mr. W. A. Jamieson, as vice president and Mr. W. Wright and Mr. G. Parker as members of the national executive. The new president of the National Union is: Mr. C. Day. The national offices of the union will now be located at Christchurch. All new officers, with the exception of Mr. Jamieson (Wellington), live at Christchurch.