SHAREMILKERS URGED TO JOIN WORKERS' UNION

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 30, 8 December 1948, Page 5

SHAREMILKERS URGED TO JOIN WORKERS ' UNION

Criticism of what he termed the “employer controlled union” and the sharemilkers who belonged to it was made by Mr A. G. Rogers, Te Aroha, organiser for the Auckland Province of the New Zealand Workers’ Union, at a meeting of the sharemilkers’ and farm hands’ section at Edgecumbe on Monday night. Coupled with his address he made an appeal to sharemilkers to unite and solve their problems in the Workers’ -Union, which he called theft- own organisation. Mr Rogers challenged the use of the section allocated to sharemilkers in the Farmers’ Federation. He described it as being nothing but ah employer uncontrolled union. He said that sharemilkers had been canvassed to join when the organisation was first formed. When they did they lost their right to bargain and since then many of them had been threatened with the loss of their jobs, while farm hands had been ‘absolutely slugged.” ' He alleged that the 50-50 “gentlemen’s agreement,” which had been settled between farmers and sharemilkers in Wellington had never been honoured by farmers. Mr Rogers then referred to some of the out-of-date machinery now in use on some of the farms, where the owners expected the same production as when the equipment was new. These, along with other problems, could be settled if the union had a larger membership. There were farmers not keeping their agreements and sharemilkers who did not measure up to their responsibilities. These problems could be remedied in a peaceful manner if the union was stronger. “I know,” he declared, “that pressure has been put on the sharerhilkers, that they have been threatened, that the. people who take part in certain activities will get the sack. But a lot of this talk is bluff.” Fear of victimisation had ( always been a worry to Sharemilkers, Mr Rogers added. This, however, would be absent if the union was supported. Many did not understand its importance but if it ceased to exist, then employers and farmers would be able to dictate thqir own terms. He concluded by urging sharemilkfers and farmhands to stick to the union. The meeting, which was presided over by Mr A. D. Wilkins, passed a vote of thanks for the speaker.