FARM WORKERS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 161, 26 July 1937, Page 8

FARM WORKERS

l Our Own Correspoudent.)

"No Hare-brained Schemes" AGREEMENTS DISCUSSED

(From

WAIPUKUBAU, i'kis Day. At a fairly well-attended- meeting in St. Mary'a Hall, Waipukurau, last uiglxt, Mr B. Eddy, national presideut of the New Zealand Workers' Union, explained in detail the claims tha£ are being put forward to the employere in the various ihdustries covered by his organisation. One item dealt with at some length was the terms under which it is hoped to renew the farm workers' agreement. The speaker went on to give full det.ails of the Public Works agreement and suggested improvements. The new agreement coveriug drovers, which is to be put before employere in Wellington ncxt week, was outlined, and Mr Eddy appealed to all workers of this class to joiii up and remain loyal to the union, which was doing its best to improve their condltions. Dealing with the rapid growth of the Npw Zealand Workers' Union over a short period, the presideut stated that in the past twelve months membership had grown from 8,000 to 32,000. There was every indication, he added, that they could look forward to having at least 40,000 to 50,000 members at the end of the next twelve months. Dealing briefly with the Government 's policy in regard to workers ' condltions, the speaker urged his hearers to give loyal, moral and financial support to the Labour Party. Some time was spent dealing with various aspects of the farm workers' •agreement, and plans for the better organisation of rural employees in the future were explained. In case workers were hesitant about joining the union because they feared they would be ealled out on Btrike over some trivial question, Mr Eddy went to some pains to make it quite clear that the New Zealand Workers' Union had no harebrained schemes - in tuiti d that were going to cause nnnecessary friction with employers, He expressed the opinion that the conntry was capable of giving a better standard of Hving with better general conditions, not only to the workers but to all concerned. As negards thei organisation of farm workers, it was intended, he said, to maVA a comprehensive effort to give all members the fnll consideration and service they deserved by entting New Zealand into smaller sections and pnttin^ more organisers on the road. ThS meeting; conclnded with a vote of to the speaker, and an expreSsion ftf confidence in the union.