STRONG STATEMENT BY FEDERATION SECRETARY

Chronicle (Levin), 9 January 1947, Page 5

STRONG STATEMENT BY FEDERATION SECRETARY

■Press Association

fty Telegraph—

WELLINGTON, Jan. 8. . K. Baxter, secretary of the | 'ira ti on of Labour, said tonight thfit the exeeutive of the Federation was amazed at the contents of the resolution passed by the Wellington branch of the Waterside Workers' Union criticising the Federation for publicity over the recent discussions. "We feel certain that the members w liu voted for the resolution did so xvitliout knowing' the true facts of the cnse," said iMr. Baxter. "Whilst .my exeeutive regrets having to go into the press to state the facts it feels it is under an obligation to do so not only t" the waterside workers but also to t bo whole of the trade unionists of tlds eountry. The officials of the Waterside Workers' Union have done a dis service to their members and the Lab mii' movement as a whole by publishing ineorrect versions of their discussions

with my exeeutive and with Cabiiiet in bniiding the cnse ugainst ihe Federa tion of fuibour ujion statomeut.s which they know to be iintrue. " My exeeutive has hehl meetings with the exeeutive of the Waterside Workers' I'nioii at dilferent dates from December 18 to December 2.'!, J!)4(i Altliough there was a (ii^tinct under sfandirig that the niuttei's disciis.se. were not to be publislied in the press ihe dav foilowing our de liliertit ions on eucii oi-cnsion ijie sub stance of the mntters discussed ap[>ear ed in the press. Certain of these state inents lo the press were wnrded in sucli a manner as to convey an entindy wrong interprelulion of whai aeltrally t ra nspired. " It is because of this that my execn tive has felt compelled to state tlic facts publicly. My exeeutive does not deny ihe right of the Waterside Work ers' Fnion to adopt such tactics as limiting working hours to iu a week if in fact they could bv no other menns obtain salisfaction of their .just clainis What my exeeutive does deny is tio jiecessity for sucli tactics win-n. as !li. I'riine Minister (Mr Fraserj has stated, all matters in dispute can be uiuiculdv settlcd by negot iat ion. "In the view of my exeeutive tlic rank and (ile of the Waterside Work ers' Fnion are being cnllcd upon by their officials to wage a totally unnecessnry struggle — n struggle which if it continues niust have disaslrous result.for the whole Labour movement politic ally and ind'ust rially.

The statenient of the national secretary of the Union (Mr. t. Hill) in the press of January 7, if he has heen correctly reported, would appear to indicate that he is by no means anxious for a settlement of the dispute to be made by negotiation. If that is the case his actions and those of some of his fellow officials beconie understandahle. "My exeeutive, iiowever, has a differ ent conception of the dutv of responsible officials to the Labour movement. We believe we are entrusted by tlic workers with the tusk of improving their Jiving standards and condition.of work, and that these things should be accomplished with the least possihlc sacrilice to the workers themselves. " To call upon w orkers to wage a struggle in volving danger to the whole of our movement when the matters i i dispute can lie spttled amicably is in 'bur vipyv -f.lutvWorsf .foriu of foll'y. " t o; re] re.i t| -w li a lurs •al^eadv beeif Afatdd: that tliW execul ive o"f tio .Federation of Labour is prepared ti, take over this dispute if it is liandei lo it by the waterside workers, and ii is T'onlideut it can negotinte a scttle meut sal islactorv to the w orkers em ployed on Ihe waterfrunl. ''