P. AND T. EMPLOYEES

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 120, 17 November 1932, Page 13

P. AND T. EMPLOYEES

LABOUR CONTENTION

GOVERNMENT RECOGNITION

NOT YET, SAYS MINISTER

It is not the present intention of tho Government to restore recognition to the Post and Telegraph Officers' Association. This announcement was made by the Post-master-General (the Hon. A. Hamilton) in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon, when replying to Labour speakers who urged that recognition bo restored. The Minister added that ho believed in collective bargaining as opposed to individual bargaining, j The discussion took place when the ! Post and Telegraph vote was before the House. ■ • Basing his action on the Minister's statement, Mr. M. J. Savage (Labour, Auckland West) announced his inten-1 tion of moving an amendment that the vote be postponed in order to give the Minister an opportunity to confer with the association. This was ruled out of order, but Mr. Savage moved to report progress with the same object. This was defeated by 33 votes to 17. Mr. Savage asked what was happening in regard to granting recognition to the association. The welfare of the employees was safeguarded by the association, and the PostmasterGeneral had a better chance of dealing with the service through the association than through individuals. ALTOGETHER UNTENABLE. . The Leader of tne Opposition (Mr. H. E. Holland) said that the attitude of the Department was altogether untenable. Because the Government had formed the suspicion that the service was leaning in a certain political direction, recognition of the association was withdrawn. He asked if it were not a fact that the members of the association had asked for a non-political tribunal to settle their working conditions, and if they had not agreed to accept the decision of that tribunal and keep themselves free of political entanglements. . -| The Re?. C. Can- (Labour, Timaru) asked who was behind the Minister in the attitude he haa taken up. "Is the Minister not cpnvinced that the time is long past for the continuation of this silly action," said Mr. A. S. Richards (Labour, Roskill). "Why is a magnificent service under a cloud of suspicion because of the foolish actions of ono or two" irrespon•sibles1?" He declared that the Minister must change his attitude if he was to expect continued loyalty from the service. ORGANISATION CONSOLIDATED. Mr. F. Jones (Labour, Dunedin South) saia that tho action of the Government in refusing recognition had consolidated the organisation, because it was felt that an injustice was being done. "It is apparently quite in order for a Public servant to-make a statement in support of the' Government without being called, to book or being reprimanded," said Mr. D. G. Sullivan (Labour, Avon). "A Government officer is permitted to engage in a political controversy provided he is on the right side." . The Chairman of Committees (Mr. S. G. Smith) pointed out that there was no vote on the Estimates, for the P. and T. Officers' Association. The subject was therefore out of order. '• Mr. Sullivan: That is' most extraordinary. I have been following the lines of half a dozen previous speakers and yet I am stopped. The Chairman again ruled that the matter was out of order, and Mr. Sullivan announced that he would withdraw his remarks but would ask a question. The Chairman ruled that the remarks must be withdrawn without qualification. ■ . ' "I ask if I have not the right .to follow the same lines as previous speakers," said Mr. Sullivan. Tho Chairman said that,he haa been absent from the House for some time, ana when he left there haa been n.o reference, to the Post and Telegraph Officers' Association. He was "anxious to help members, but this subject was not in order. Mr. Sullivan obtained leave to make a personal explanation in which he explained that ho had always respected the Chair, but as the Acting-Chairman had. permitted half a dozen members to speak on the- subject, he thought that he had a grievance when he was stopped. OFFICERS ARE LOYAL. The Postmaster-General said that he admitted that the Post and Telegraph service was one of the greatest the Government had, ana he did not think that there were any more loyal officers than those in that, service.

Mr. R. Semple (Labour, Wellington Bast): And you give them less freedom than yon give a Chinaman. * - -

The Postmaster-General said he did not think that Mr. Richards was far wrong when he said that the men.had been penalised for the foolish actions of ono or two. As Minister he had been urged to change his attitude. He could ask why did not some of the men change their attitude.

Mr. iSemple: Why.persecute them? The Minister said that he did not believe in individual bargaining.. As Minister of Labour, he knew that collective bargaining was better than individual action. The breach with the association might be healed in time. He thought it would be better if the causes of the trouble jvere not discussed. H.e did not wonder at people not liking cuts in their salaries and doing everything possible to resist them. He paid a tribute to the efficiency of the service and said that he appreciated the good work which had been done.

Mr. Sullivan asked if the lefusal of the Government to recognise the association was to be permanent.

The Minister saia he did not think that was intended.'