Trade Union Study Fits Hour In N.Z.

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 16, Issue 4, 6 October 1950, Page 5

Trade Union Study Fits Hour In N.Z.

Trade Unions in the New Society, by Harold J. Laski (Allen and Unwin, 10/-). New Zealanders, who have just through a crisis in which the rights and responsibilities of trade unions were very much involved, will find much that is topical in the late Professor Laski’s book. Professor Laski was, of course, a Socialist, and these essays on trade unionism —originally the Sidney Hillman lectures—are written frorQ the socialist viewpoint. He was also v a most distinguished political philosopher, and vdiat he writes here —provocative, stimulating, thoughtprovoking—is most valuable as an aid to understanding the forces at work in the world today. There will be special interest in the chapter on trade unions and the public, where the author examines and illustrates the question of government intervention in strikes which have a widespread effect on the community. This includes a discussion of geheral strikes, such as the one in Britain in 1926, and of the limits to the powers given to the Government by the Emergency Powers Act, 1920.

The book ends with an examination of the place of trade unions, in democracy. Professor Laski urges the need for internal democracy in trade unions, and sees this as the answer to communist activity. He also believes that unions must be able effectively to display their strength politically. This is of special relevance in America—where the lectures were delivered —where industrial labour is not associated with a political party in the same way as in Britain.