The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1928.

Hokitika Guardian, 7 December 1928, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1928.

THE. I’IUINCIPLE Ol< FUSION. Tub General Council ol the Irades Union Congress has for some time past lioon urging upon British organised Labour the advantages of amalgamation. and it has Imxmi known for some time that a scheme was on loot lor the complete fusion of the Workers’ Union ( and Transport and General Workers I Union. Tt is now .announced that this | fusion, affecting half a million workers, is on the verge of completion,, and that

t represents the formation of the largest and strongest labour organisation of recent times. Ju following the principle of fusion, organised labour is merely keeping step with the spirit of the times. In almost every sphere ■ f activity development proceeds along he line of unication of method and irocedure under the direction of a •cntral command. Examples of the adoption of the principle abound on every hand. They are provided in the amalgamation of banks and insurance companies and in the movement so apparent during the present year lor the fusion of great industrial enter-

prises, such as tobacco companies, ship, ling companies and firms of distillers n all directions may he witnessed a tendency to “get together’’ on the iart of kind real interests in trade and i-onmu*roe. Curiously enough, remarks a contemporary, it is only in the realms of religion and politics that the loaders appear indifferent to Lhe principle of fusion. The fusion of the unions of workers at Home, which we have named. is the first outcome of the policy of amalgamation of Labour associations, and the combined body will greatly outnumber the largest single union that, is now in existence. The motives that lie behind the planning of amalgamations of unions have never been fully avowed. One of our English contemporaries seems to be somewhat uneasy lest they may indicate an unwillingness, in some (piarters, to embrace. the new conception of an organised co-operation with capital and management in place of an organised opposition on the old discredited'lines.