ALLIANCE OF LABOR

Hokitika Guardian, 21 February 1925, Page 4

ALLIANCE OF LABOR

DOMINION ORGANISATION. There are indications, that the attendance at the open conference called by the Alliance of Labour lor April next will be fully representative of all sections of the Labour movement, and hopes are entertained that the result of the deliberations will be the formation of a Dominion organisation which will be able to present a united front iii all matters alleetiug the workers. There is a feeling in some quarters, however, that, much as such an organisation is needed, some difficulty will be experienced in arriving at a decision that will be received with favour by all concerned. One section 'of the Labour movement, while hoping that good will result from the conference, is not bv any means optimistic, and holds the opinion that there is likely to be consideiable difference of opinion as to what form the new body should assume. The view taken is that any new body formed should follow oil the lines of the •Nfational Trades Congress at li.oine, but it is felt that that view will not coincide with views held hv other sections of the Labour movement. The need for unity is stressed in a statement which has been issued to the workers. This states: “The 'Labour movement in New Zealand lias been talking unity for years past. I'or some reason, however, that unity has not been obtained, for the workers ol New Zealand arc to-day to a very large extent, disunited as far as a general policy for industrial labour is concerned, there must he some definite reason or reasons lor this, toi on every band we find the actual wage workers demanding a national industrial policy and closer unity, while at the same time labour is divided into crafts and sects which leave the toilers at the mercy of the New Zealand Employers’ Federation. The present disunite in the Labour movement should „„t be allowed to continue, and there is no reason why it should. The opinio,, „f anv one man or any one section of the workers should not be the means of keeping the workers apart, for unity is essential if .the workers „re ever to obtain an improvement m their standard of, living. ,