COMPULSORY UNIONISM.

Evening Star, Issue 24285, 28 August 1942, Page 6

COMPULSORY UNIONISM.

TO THE EDITOII. Sir, —The tirade of “A Victim ” is reminiscent of the class of propaganda indulged in by the sweating type of employers who, to smash unionism, gave preference to non-unionists and invariably victimised the unionists. Compulsory unionism protects the unionists from this “ Gestapo ” method of intimidation, and enables all the workers coming within the scope of a union to determine by majority rule what claims will be submitted to the employers to be settled by arbitration. It guarantees all the workers the freedom to voice their grievances. It has, during this war, ensured a measure of peaceful warwork co-ordination, unprecedented in countries where disputes are settled by Rafferty’s rules of voluntary unionism. The way in which the 0.L.R.C., under Mr Richards’s guidance, and the Federation of Labour, under Mr Roy Herbert’s control, ignoring the fact that they were unrepresented on the patriotic societies, co-ordi-nated in raising funds for the All Purposes Appeal and exceeded their quota by over £6,()00, provides additional evidence of the value of compulsory unionism, which united all in a magnificent wartime effort that will expand as time goes on. After giving faint praise to unionism your correspondent damns it on the ground that it keeps a political party in power. It does so purposely, because in peacetime, when progressive advancement is alone possible, it has a say at the annual conference of the Labour Party in framing a political programme on a juster economic basis. The response of the workers to the All Purposes Appeal proves that the organised band under. Mr Richards and Mr Herbert, as they get into their stride, with more perfect organisation, will cope with future appeals for patriotic purposes in a far more efficient coordinating manner aqd in a more understanding way. The effort which your correspondent disparages is more remarkable when one recalls that the trades unionists who enlisted or were called up have sadly depleted the ranks of unionism. Letters I receive from members of the fighting force in the Middle East urge me to continue on the 0.L.R.C., the executive of the Labourers’ Union, and the Press Committee of the Labourers’ Union until they return to take over the union work again. If your correspondent ca ls on me 1 will show him the letters, which do' not bear out his and other implication*. What these boys dread is that what they fought for may be destroyed in their absence. —I am, etc., J. E. MacManus (Member of Press Committee, Otago General Labourers’ Union).