Conscience Won't Let Them Join Union

Chronicle (Levin), 22 July 1948, Page 9

Conscience Won't Let Them Join Union

.7 WELLINGTON, July' 21.. • Conscientious- objeetion on 'scriptural grounds to- becoming a member o£ and to paying nibney -to i tradeunioHj 13 expresseci in a petition.irrom' Riclxmond Esdoime- Haxriaon>,: 'of P£imhston North, and 126 otliers > fr'qih. vai'lous paris -of .New Zealandj. which' was t>re-„ Bented ib. tlxe House'of Representatives today- by Mi. Ormond tyilson'. Peti-' tioners were' b.otli cinpioy.ees.' aud' employers. . -\U7 i • ;7" - . ■ Those who. -Yyere empibyees.asked to be relieved from. bfceOihing riiembers of a trade union and those .'wfcq Yyere employcrs asked. to be allowed to einploy or to eontinuo. to .efli^loy aduit' persons who satisfied the autfibfities as to their liavfng coriseiehtious ob jections to joining a trade' union. . 7 './«*• lt was: stated, in', -the; • pelition > tftfit eaeli ployee, was obliged:td beednie;. a -nieYnbor of a union /by" virt.ue; of : Bebtioft .18of tho. InduatriaL Coneiliation^ acnd Arbitration Airten'dment Act. -Thejy had - a .gbnuiito on se'ripthfal grbunds to b6coAta|[ a tuember 'of and toi-payiirg moiiey to a trade unipn. • ' , '7. , ' . , Section ' 1S: prdyided' fhati it sh^uld not be iatvlui. fot pefcitipherd wlio tyere employers, ■ to. .. enipl-by- • oE ebniihuev ■ ito einploy any adu'l|; p.erson .whp^ ^as' ildt; n member. 'of a. Xlhion of -wdi4iprs djqtihd by a relevant awd r dof in d iis t ri ai agreefnent. Tlieso ' einplpyern we^te ' nnable, ■ by ;reas6n ' of cbhkpienti(jn.s .olijpc1 tion on acript.ur.aJ /grouhds^ .to fpiquife of any omploy;ce.'.whb ;had .'jStrelt jcction, ber , of trade' sdiub:a^b.r;-,tb di^inis'S^fiy: sueli /empipyhft. •; i'tf wasr. petit'ipriOTa w^'p ^Voxer^pl'p^ees- tp .•! be unable. i'egally. .to- teta-in -tiieif" ^.envploy: nicnt of to obtain ;b'mplbymcnt wit hout bccomib'g-'ihcmbpra pf a- ;unipn, seeing that- their ''..'febhsci'enc.cs ; forbid sucli inembetsliip;.f>nN; scfipfurai groUnds. PetitipfibrF ^bidd>ehbptfuliy subrait -to any. !b-xaiftiiiat'ibn74^7t> tthe genuiriencsa . -grpuntt^ fpr- tlien: ,c.dilseteiitiouA Qbjbctidhby T.irey were ; willimg to~ pay to . ttie iGioVerhinVnt snqt ;i.es^.^thait the fces pavable bv member^ Pfrjthe-appro-priate union "but to p ay "nidh ey " t o~ ~f~ " t f ad^ 'ujrroYF ~biv ■Yhe' grouiids tliat sucli payrncnt yvaa piactic{ ally tantainountv- to'c-mefnhbraliip' -!ctf, Va union to Yvhifhj meniberaliip ;they objoctcd, and that buch ■ 'p'ayuiept TTfbuId eonfititute sripport bf vobjects jrhieK, as t Ch fiatiaii $. - jhey Could . rt.oit pupportl