ALLIANCE OF LABOR

Hokitika Guardian, 15 April 1921, Page 1

ALLIANCE OF LABOR

— Bit; industrial policy

WELLINGTON, Am il Iff

The announcement that the Seamen > Ecdcration of New Zealand has endorsed by ballot the constitution of the Alliance ol Labour is an indication of further strengthening of the [’ranspr.-i Workers’ Advisory Board, which is formed of representatives ol tiie Amalgam ted* Society of Rnilwaymcn, the Waterside Workers 1* ('deration, the men's Federation, the Drivers’ federation. and the Federation ol Tramwa,’ men. The plan of the Alliance is to link up in an industrial organisation all the workers in New Zealand industries. Enel! great industry organises all us workers under one union, and the r' sultant body is affiliated with the Alliance of Labour, which will be in' Deposition of settling the broader lines of Labour's industrial policy, and ol arranging mutual assistance when ’lit section of affiliated workers becomes in volved in a dispute. The movement is purely industrial, lor it is conlined to the trade unions, which must not deal in political affairs as a corporate organisation. However, (here are always possibilities of excursions into the political arena under stress of circumstance:, and this very ambitious organisation , likely to become very prominent m New Zealand affairs in the mar lutin' especially if it succeeds in carrying nut its programme of linking up the miners the building trade employees and U■freezing workers. The latter are takur. a ballot on the subject, of' joining tin Alliance.

There is a rival scheme of national organisation in the trade union field, in the shape of the New Zealand Workers’ Union, which socks to enrol all workers within one organisation. II this movement gains headway, it is easy to forecast a serious internal disturb anc c in the trade union world. However, the Alliance of Labour seems to have gained a definite lead over it' rival by securing the inclusion of 111” watersiders, for the main attraction of tiie Workers’ Union has been the possi bility of being able to transfer from one industry to another on the same union card.