MINISTER'S ULTIMATUM

Chronicle (Levin), 8 April 1949, Page 7

MINISTER'S ULTIMATUM

Press AssocicDtion)

Carpenters To!d To Take Secret Ballot

(Per

WELLINGTON, April 7. If the deregistered Auckland Carpenters' Union has not agreed by Tuesday to the taking of a secret ballot by the Departnient of Labour on the question of the go-slow policy and resumption of normal work, registration wul oe granted to the new union. This was stated by the Minister ot Labour, Mr. McLagan, tonight. The Minister said the statement rnade by Mr. E. Stanley on We.dnesday; that the new union' of Auckland car penters would not be registered under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitra tion Act, was without any t'oundatiou whatsoever. The decision as to whether or not registrattion' would be granted, did not rest with' Mr. Stanle.v . "What Mr. Stanley can be certain of however, is that, in view of his repeated deliberate and flagrant disregard of hi.obligations under - the Industrial Gon ciliation and Arbitration Aet, he ha.forfeited all claim to the protection and privileges conferred by the Aet, and he is not even entitled to express an opinion on the question of who should be given the opportunity of obtaining the benelits of the Aet," said Mr. Mr Lagan. "I ara advised that the neu union is making steady progress. tha an additionai 63 members joined on Wednesday and 49 more today, and th-it a further 57 are in the course of being enrolled, making a total membership t-> date of over 830. It appears that the majority of the carpenters remaining in Auckland are opposed to go-slow, are desirous of obtaining recognition under the Industrial Cont'iliation and Arbitration Act, are ready and willing to aeecpt and abide by awards obtained under our system of industrial concilia Lion and arbitration and are therefore entitled to registration. However, m view of the claim that the majority sup port go-slow and are opposed to re ' sumption of normal work, 1 ain willing to defer consideration of the application for registration unt.il Tuesday, April 12, to give the deregistered union ; an opportunity to agree to have that 1 question submitted to a secret ballot eondueted by the Departnient of Lab our. Should the deregistered union not have agreed by Tuesday to the taking of sucli a ballot bv the Departnient Labour, it will be olivious that the new union does in fact represent the majoirt.y and it will then be granted registration. ' '