LABOUR FEDERATION.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1428, 1 May 1912, Page 6

LABOUR FEDERATION.

CONFERENCE IN MAY. SOME OF TFIK PROPOSALS. Delegates to the. conference of the Federation of Labour, which is to meet at Wellington on Slay '.'3, will be asked to consider the transformation of tho federation into a National Industrial Union of Workers on tho lines of the Industrial Workers of tho World. Alterations in the remuneration of delegates aro also to bo Kiusidcrcit. Other remits are summarised The Auckland watersiders wish that only a majority of financial mcmljer.s of u union shall havi> flio right to vote on joining or bcmling from tho federation; also, that no union bo admitted to it except upon a two-tJiirds majority vote. All organisations requiring tlio services of an organiser for the purpose of seltliug disputes must be linuie lor his expense* incurred on tlicii behalf. The I'uponga minora propose that a levy of 7d. per week per member be struck so as to bring in a sum of .£SO a week for the establishment ot an orHiinisin ß fund and employment of seven or eight organisers. It is found that tho one at present employed (Sir. Semplo) is overtaxed. The Taitapu miners propose a levy of Gd. per month per member for additional organisers. Tho executive to be asked to consider a scheme for organising all men employed on Government public works. Efforts will bo made to devise ways and means for amalgamating the various forces of Labour. The Government is to be urged to bring wages of casual workers up to those ruling for similar work in tho district in which tho men are employed; also that it bo urged to rule forty-lour hours as a working week on all public works. Legislation is to bo sought with a view to securing unconditional preference to unionists. Tho Auckland tramway men will urge the conference to adopt "the principle of ono day's rest in seven, ami to secure its inclusion in the Statutes of the Dominion. The Grnnity miners want a political party to be formed in conjunction with the Federation of Labour. Tho State Miners' Union, on tho other hand, desires "that no political party be endorsed unless it adopts the Socialist objective." AVaihi miners, however, hold that "the timo has arrived when the question of politics should bo omitted from tho work and consideration of the federation. The political question, in our opinion, should be left in tho hands of the Socialist party." The .shearer's will urge the federation "to •tako active steps in municipal and Parliamentary elections and in electing representatives on all public bodies." Coming to the vexed quosLjii of agreements, I)enniston miners want any man in or about a mine,.working after i p.m., to receive 20 per cent, increase in wages. Auckland tramway men complain that men commonly finish running their cars after midnight, arid havo to report for work before G a.m. next day. They ask that in all future- agreements provision should be made for at least ten hours between shifts. As for wages tho Auckland Union will propose that in all future agreements the minimum wage to be asked for general labourers and outsido workers shall be based on "their actual requirements to live decently and bring up their families in some degree of comfort," instead of allowing nothing for wet weather and other stoppages. The AVaikato miners urge "the advisability of not signing agreements wherever same can be avoided." The conference is asked by tho Auckland general labourers to keep in view the six-hour day principle. Remits to "use all power" to abolish compulsory military training and the repeal of the Dcl'enco Act, so ftyr as training is concerned, will be brought up.