F.O.L. Delegates Breathe Easy — For A While

Chronicle (Levin), 20 May 1949, Page 6

F.O.L. Delegates Breathe Easy — For A While

Press Association)

(Per

WELLINGTON, May 19. . It could be said tliat the dispute whicli tlireatened to split the Federation oi' Labour wide open,, ended 011 a basis satisfactory to everyone, when tlie Waterside Workers' Union 'tuday Withdr'ew letters couched in abusive terms, and this- action waS accepted-by the ehairman oi the conierenee. Tlie; bonfereneb thus avoided having to snspend the union from aifiliation and the Watersiders avoided having to apologise though tlie terms of the resolution •" moved on behalf of tlie national exeeutive of the federatioiij demanded' an apoiogy. On the oue hand the federation pres'erved an outward sembianee of unity and oh the other the watersiders reniained in the conierenee where they normally are not the' le^st - voeal of the delegates, as probably will be seen when the carpenters' dispute is diseussed again tomorrow.

The hot water in whieh the watersiders found theinselves, was actuaily heated in a fire created by the action of the Auckland carpenters in going slow. ISo the two dispiites to whieh the federation today gave its alteiition, were really closely allied. it was the oecretary of the federation, Mr. K. McL. Baxter, wlio started the discussion tliis morning when lie moved a resolution standing hi the name of the national exeeutive. This ealled for botli a with drawal and apoiogy i'rom the watersiders. He said that tlie watersiders' leaders had indulge! in scurrilous abuse of the national exeeutive whieh had 'been ealle-i "sto'oges of the Government, "agents of the eapitalists," anu "betrayers of the working elass. 1 How could any national exeeutive stay in office in faee of sue.i terms? he asked. Ile urged that the watersiders withdraw an i apologise and "sink th'eir diiTe; - enees" beeause "we ean't alford to have disruption in this movement." This final appeal diselosed that the federation ofiieials were i'ully aware of the possible results n they had to suspend the watersiders. Mr. John Flood, veteran seercitary of the Lyttelton Watersid|i Union, tried to switeli the issni' into eommittee by .moy.iug' us an amendment, that Ihe eoiii'erenee set up a- eommittee of five to iid vestigate the question and rqport back to the eoiii'erenee. Ile asserted that the national exeeutive was trying to aet as judge and jury on its own case and that a coinmitteo would operate without bias. The national exeeutive 's resolution, he said, would stigmatise - every watersider in the eountry. Mr. A. B. Grant, Christehureh, secondect, the amendment. Mr. F. P. Walsh eut right across all that had been said. Ile declared that Mr. Barnes had cxpressed disapproval of the language used by the watersiders' national secretary, Mr. Toby Ilill, and suggested that the real question before the confereiice was

, vvhether the national exeeutive had to subniit to eommunications of tlie type whieh it had reeeived l'rom the Waterside Workers' Union. Ile was followed by Mr. P. M. Butler, national secretary of " the General Labourers' Federation, wlio moved that the question be put. This was carried and the amendment was then defeated by 239 votes to 36. Mr. Barnes, who was the next speakor, lef't tlie floor of tlie'haji for . the . .platform, ..was . given extended time and pulled mo punelies in del'ending the positi'oii of tlie Waterside Union. He pers'isted in rei'erring not, to suspeiision but to expuision and said Mr. ilill had withdrawn the offensive language, that the federation shoidd have reeeived the letter as his national exeeutive after. disepssing trouble had decided to take no further action, and that Ihe Waterside Union had loyally carried out the instructions of the Federation of Labour and Auckland Trades Council'in referenee to the carpenters' ease. He accused the federation of failing to earry out its own directions, said little had been heard of basie trade union principles, and said that'if tlie Waterside Workers' Union, was ...expelled from'."fhe feileraitiion, it wqpld hgo .'oru,tM wifh clean liands and headijhel'd high, .In aiL impassioned don'elusibn to tlie speeeli he proelaimedi ".We /will maintain our traditional: role ' of ti khtiii'g the 1 boss. : Tf it isna fight against tl^q , Government, 'it is only when., tl>ey- go.' with." the bosses."' '' iC.Xi'piH — r-i, r i The eonferendfe adjourned for luiioh.at this st^ige and when the 'delegates returned it, was. ,'to an almost jmtieliniaetic atmospKere. hi i;. 14arncs aiihounced that his unio'fUb delegates ha-tUdeeit|^d to I reeommcnd to the union the "with - drawal of tho$^|fctters and Mr.- | Ilill 's statoment. regarding the ! national exeeutive of tlie federajtion. This tlie ehairman aecepted and tlie matter was referred to the national exeeutive 1 So was peace restored and unity preserved.