SECRET BALLOTS ON STRIKES

Chronicle (Levin), 5 August 1947, Page 3

SECRET BALLOTS ON STRIKES

GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSAL HAS COME AS SURPRISE WELLINGTON, August 4. Widosproad intcrest, politicaily and industrially, is being taken in two meetings Avliicli are to opcn in Wellington tomorrow morning. • Tlie national eouncil of the New Zealand Eederation of Labour has been called togetlier a week ea.rlier tlian was lirst expected, because of tlio sudden iiitroduction to tho llouse of llepresentatives of a proposed Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Aet amendment requiring secret ballots before a strike or a lock-out. Tliere . is some evidence that the proIiosaJ, altlfough it has been widely discussed in public fjor some timo past, has come as a surpfise to tlie industrial movenient. . The hnmedi'ate reaetion aniong tradus councils, ^vliich are affiliations of the^T^^feration of Labour,, ,u;as to , iiequdst, tqgetlier of the federation councff , at the earliest possible nxoment, ^hd/i'j is possible that tlio meetiugybeghming tomorrow will last for two or three days. . ; It has been c.dmmqnted by .tradT union ollicialS: in Wclllngtpn that secret ballots are ;not . new, and, in some; unioiia, there: isj ieixpfess'tprpVision fbr hoiding the m. ;The Isebilet [hallofi wiiF used by -the Ne\vj' Zealhaid;; Tf'ahiwayB. Empldyees {j; Xj rqqeiatiyy ; wiien tllb membership declared itself overwhelmingly for a national agreeinent. The question wliich is being asked in the industrial movement is why the Government should now seck to impose the secret bailot hy law. There is a feeling that some reasons of urgency must have caused the projected measure, and there is some disposition to relate tlie proposal to the Auckland waterfront trouble. In Auckland, one trade union official has described the proposed legislation as "an unwarranted piece of interference with the rights of trade uni'onists." Signs of; opposition to the measure are apparent elsewhere. The Federation of Labour itself is bound by its constitution to recognise tlie right of individual unions to govern tlieir oavu afl'airs. This provision expiains why the federation has not been able to intervene, on occasions in'the past, in various strikes. It is evident that ia considerable body of opinion in the industrial move- ' ment favours the strict rctontion of the rights of individual unions, and any suggestion of an imposdtion or intrusion from politieal quarters may be found objectionable by a good ■ many unionists. The faet that the Government has seen iit to introduce an undoubtodly contentious proposal, which it must know is iikely to cause rescntment and opposition aniong an indclinitc number of its industrial supporters, lends colour to the impression that an imperative need has been found for the projected measure." On the other hand, tliere is an opinion within the industrial movement that tho .secret ballot is in no way objectionablej that it should be fundamental to all union constitutions, that it is the. protection of unionists against minority tactions, and it is the most democratic systeni, and that it would save the public against unwarranted strikes, especially where utilities are affect'ed. The second confercnce is that of the national executive of the New Zealand Waterside Workers-' Union. The first issue for consideration is the Auckland waterfront trouble^, which so far has shown no sign of . widening, altliough the New Zealand union has now been charged officialby with a breach of a written undertaking with the Government. It is expected that -the executive will report to the various branches but there is no indication of the likely duratiou of the meeting. It is almost certain that the union executive will consider also the Government 's proposal regarding secret ballots, and the progress of the protracted negotiations With the Government over "worker representation" in the control of the waterfront industry.