ONE BIG UNION

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 134, 2 March 1921, Page 4

ONE BIG UNION

AN AUSTRALIAN PROJECT AFFILIATION OF NEW ZEALAND UNIONS With a view of ascertaining whether it will be possible to draw up a constitution to govern the organisation of a One Big Union, a conference representative of seamen, miners, railwaymen, and the Australian Workers’ Union (which includes all men engaged in the agricultural and pastoral industry) is to be held in Sydney to-day. A preliminary conference opened in Sydney on February 18, and among those who were present was Mr. P. O’Rourke, president, of the New Zealand Miners’ Federation, which, is affiliated with the Australian Miners’ Federation. Mr. O’Rourke returned to Wellington by the Manuka this week, and in the course of a conversation with a Dominion reporter yesterday he stated that the conference which is to resume its deliberations in Sydney to-day will consider the question of widening the present suggested scope of a One Big Union organisation by including such bodres as carpenters and other unions. The seamen, waterside workers, iailwaymen, ana miners had recently decided to launch a One Big Union scheme about May next, but after conferring with the Australian Workers’ Union they resolved to defer action in the meantime in order to see if the project could be extended. _ Asked whether the One Big Baton, if definitely established, would include the New Zealand Miners’ Federation, because of the fact that that body is affiliated with the Australian miners, Mr. O’Rourke stated that he was not‘prepared to give a direct answer. But, he added. "I am of this opinion, that, before this year is out, all the w _°tk«B in New Zealand and Australia, wi 1 become affiliated on a One Big Union basis, that is, the seamen, railwaymen, and the miners in both countries.