ENGINEERS’ ASSN. DECLARES COMMUNIST IS CAUSE OF THE TROUBLE

Grey River Argus, 7 April 1948, Page 5

ENGINEERS’ ASSN. DECLARES COMMUNIST IS CAUSE OF THE TROUBLE

Shock Tactics On The Job P.A. WELLINGTON, April 6 At the request or the Senior Engineers at Mangakino, the Professional Engineers' Association has issued a statement to-oay, dealing with the Mangakino disputeThe association recalled that the Workers’ Union was prepared to ordei the men back to work, pending the finding ot a tribunal, out witn a proviso, tnat the secretary, Mr L. Clap' ham. was also to be re-employed. The Association said that. this proviso could have umortunate results, in that it might delay the settlement of the dispute. “The dispute is between the New Zealand Workers’ Union and the Government, over the right of the latter on the recommendation of the Senior Engineer, to transfer one of its own employees,” says the statement. At the end of November, eigl|; of the Senior Engineers, individual!, notified the Engineer-in-Chief, in writing, tiiat unless authority was given io.» clapham to be removed from the job, they would seek employment elsewhere. Clapham’s employment at Mangakino was objected to on the grounds of his known propensity to cause trouble. “Following Ministerial approval, the Commissioner of Works, himself, went to Mangakino, and directed the transfer of Clapham to Auckland. Every possible factor in the situation, and its implications, have been most, seriously considered before we notified. the Engineer-ip-Chief. ofj our intention. Nothing can alter the fact which led to our decision. “The difficulty is that we cannot carry on under the condition of organised disruption fostered by Clapham. Due to muddled reasoning, or wilful intent, the issue before the men at Mangakino is being misrepresented by union as an issue between the union and engineers over a union orinciple. , We say emphatically, that, no work of this magnitude can function satisfactorily unless the workmen elect their own representatives to negotiate with the management? But we say, with equal emphasis, that industrial moral and efficiency cannot be achieved on the work unless all of the employees, staff and workmen alike, have a common interest in the steadv progress of the work, and approach all. disputes with a spirit of co-opera-tion. „, , “Since the advent of Claoham to the job, the long-established constitutional methods of procedure have been swept aside, and have been replaced by shock tactics. There is no doubt, whatever, that Clapham is the organisinq genius. Engineers trained in the management of construction projects, and in daily touch with the men, cannot fail to learn, both directly and indirectly, how these things are inspireo Wo think it desirable that the public should know that Clapham is still dominating local union affairs. There is a barrage of propaganda, all being disseminated and directed by Clapham. In view of the announcement that Clapham is contesting the National Presidency of the union, this Dominion-wide publicity of a false contention that a union principle is involved, while misleading many of the rank and file, and prolonging the hardship occasioned by the strike, is obviously excellent propaganda.”