No Support from Labour Federation

Chronicle (Levin), 28 December 1946, Page 4

No Support from Labour Federation

V -Press Association

. CABINET DECISION UPHELD

By Telegraph-

WELLINGTON, Dec. "s27. The New Zealand Federation of Labour is believed to have informed the New Zealand "Waterside Workers' Union fhat it does no.t support the union 's aetion in working a 40-hour week pending ! satisfaetion of clnims made follow- C ing the deeision of the Wnterfront Industry Commission on the guaranteed wage and attendance money elaim of the waterside workers. Information has stated that tlie Federation was to make a Press statement today about their decL sion to withhold ' support for the waterside workers, but as no eontaet eould be made this morning with federation officials it has not been possible to gnin eonfirmation or denial of tlie reports. If the "reported aetion of the federation is correct, then discus* sion among affiliated unions and among members of the federation national council and national exeeutive can be expected. The national executive of thg federation has been less in favour of militant aetion and support for militant aetion than tlie -national council has been, and at some recent meetings the national council has upset proposals supported by the national executive. The executive is tlie working committee of the federation nvhile the council consists of representatives of trades couneils throughout the Dominion. After the waterside workers had instituted the 40-hour week at New Zealand ports the national council of the federation issued an invitation to the Waterside Workers' Union to mcet the federation executive to diseuss the matters that are the subject of dispute with a view to the federation gaining greater information on the question. Since that meeting there have been several meetings and representatives of both the waterside union and the federation have met Cabinet in combined discus'sions. | The Government has made two 1 moves during the dispute. The Prime Mlnister (Mr. Fraser) wrote to the secretary of the Waterside Workers' Union (Mr. T. ITill) informing tho union that if eontrol by the Waterfront Industry Commission should Ibreak down then all orders of the , Commission and of its predecessor, the Waterfront Control Commission, would be cancelled by the Government. Also, the Minister of Labour (Alr. McLagan) was given, by Order i,n Council, direct control of the New Zealand waterfront, with powers tliat would allow him to override the I Waterfront Industry Commission if such aetion was necessary. i, To date the Federation of Labour lias made no announeements in regard to the discussions with the waterside | workers and with Cabinet, and the union has also made no comment on its discussions with tlie federation and witli Cabinet, altliough the president of the Waterside Workers' ( Union (Mr. TI. Barnes) in a statement, claimed that the federation was in support of the union 's aetion. ■ i .. -■ V