The New Zealand Federation of Labour.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 1, Issue 4, 15 December 1910, Page 5

The New Zealand Federation of Labour.

WORLD'S WEALTH FOR WORLD'S WORKERS.

*' In all things essential Unity."

We hold that all men are created to be free, and should have equal access and opportunity to the enjoyment of all benefits to be derived from their exertions in dealing with the natural resources of the earth, and that free access and equal opportunity thereto are absolutely necessary to man's existence and the upward progress of the human race. Through the rapid gathering of wealth and the centreing of the management of industries into fewer and fewer hands, Trades Unions are unable to cope with the ever-grrow-ing power of the employing class, because Trades Unions foster a state of things which allows one set of workers to be pitted against another set of workers, thereby helping to defeat one another in wage wars. These conditions can be changed and the interests of the working class upheld only by an organisation formed in such a way that all its members shall, if the necessity arises, make an injury to one an injury to all. Therefore we deem it necessary to organise and maintain the New Zealand Federation of Labour. Amongst our lawful purposes we declare more especially our objects to be :— PREAMBLE.—RuIe 1. OBJECTS : Clause 1. To create and maintain a fund for such purposes, in harmony with and promotive of the objects of this Federation, as shall approve themselves to the Executive Committee thereof. Clause 2. To improve the condition and protect the interests of the members of Federation by increasing the proportionate share of the wealth of the workers, shortening the hours of labour, and endeavouring to educate for the complete abolition of the present wage system, and the substitution of the common ownership of the means of production.

Clause 3. To secure employment of our members in preference to nonunionists ; to maintain a spirit of fraternal sympathy with the workers of this and other countries by assisting them when necessary.

Clause 4. To use our united efforts to discourage the contract labour and bonus system, and as soon as possible to abolish these, believing the said systems to be detrimental to the best interests of organised labour.

Clause 5. To enable and provide for the Federation to own, publish and control a weekly newspaper.

Clause 6. To ensure to members who are proved to have been unjustly treated the support of the Federation. CONSTITUTION—RuIe 2. Clause 1. This Organisation shall be known as the " New Zealand Federation of Labour."

Clause 2. (a) The New Zealand Federation of Labour shall be composed of actual wage-earners, brought together in a Federation of Unions, Unions and individual members, providing they subscribe to the principles and objects of this organisation.

(b) Individual members shall mean actual wage workers who desire to attach themselves to the N.Z.F.O.L. until such time as a branch of said organisation, to which they are eligible, shall be organised in the locality where said individual member may reside.

(c) No organisation shall be permitted to join said Federation without first taking a referendum affirming the desirability of joining aforesaid Federation.

Clause 3.—Federation of Industries and Unions affiliated with the N.Z. F.O.Li, shall have complete industrial autonomy in their respective internal affairs, providing that the general executive shall have power to control these organisations in matters concerning the interests of the general welfare.

Clause 4.—(a) Any Union of Workers or individual may become affiliated as hereinbefore provided by paying the quarter's contributions of Is per member in advance.

(b) Federation of Unions shall be admitted on paying the quarter's contributions of 6d per member in advance. Federation of Unions to mean N.Z. Federation of Unions.

Clause 5. Delegates representing a majority of the members comprising the Federation shall constitute a quorum.

Clause 6. Revenue and Disbursements. —The revenue of the Federation shall be derived from an annual per capita tax on every financial member, to be paid by each Union quarterly in advance, and in case of emergency such levies as, in the judgment of the Executive Committee, may be necessary. The same shall be based and paid on the preceding report previous to such levy.

Clause 7. The annual conference of the N.Z.F.O.L. shall be the supreme legislative body of the organisation, and its actions and enactments shall have legal force, unless reversed upon a referendum vote of the whole membership, touching any and all amendments to the organic law which Conference may adopt. A referendum shall only be taken when in the opinion of the -Executive it is necessary, or on a requisition signed by not less than 1000 financial members.

Clause 8. Representation in this federation for all purposes whatever shall be based upon the dues paid by f" v Union. Each Union shall be entitled to one vote for one hundred members or less, and one vote for each additional one hundred or majority fraction thereof provided no Union shall .send more than three delegates to any Conference. Voting on all questions to be by proxy m the same proportion.

Clause 9. Representation at the annual conference shall be based on the January report prior to the holding of the conference, and the January report of each year shall be an annual report • provided, in case a special Conference is held, the representation shall be based on the last report prior to the calling of the special Conference

Clause 10. Delegates from Unions to the Annual Conference shall be paid by the federation on the basis of one delegate for every 375 members or less, two delegates for 375 to 750. above 750 three delegates. Delegates shall be paid 22s 6d per day with second-class railroad, and first-class steamship fares to and from seat of Conference. Delegates from Federation of Unions shall be paid on the basis of one delegate for 750 members or less, two delegates from 750 to 1500, over 1500 three delegates.

Clause 11. The Federation may be dissolved by 4-5 (four-fifths) majority of the members voting by ballot in favour of such dissolution.

Clause 12. Alteration of Rules.—No new rules shall be made, nor shall any of the rules herein contained be amended, altered or rescinded unless a notice to that effect be given to the secretary signed by the proposer and seconder, distinctly stating such alteration of new rule, at the conclusion of the first day of the Annual Conference, when the delegates present at the following sitting eh all decide the same. All alterations, amendments or new rules shall be submitted to the Registrar of Friendly Societies.

This that they call the organisation of labour is the universal problem of the world. It is the problem of the whole future, for all who will in future pretend to govern men.—Thos. Carlyle.

The prevailing lack of unity implies the lack of class consciousness. The workers do not yet understand that they are engaged in a class struggle, that they must unite their class and get on the right side of that struggle— economically, politically, and in every other way—strike together, vote together, and, if necessary, fight to-gether.—-Eugene V. Debs.

In view of the horrible conditions ali over the world to-day—conditions that can have no other cause than the ignorant or wilful flouting of that law— what ought we to do ? Scatter the seeds of knowledge everywhere. We will reap the benign fruits*—the Commonwealth of Labour. Therefore, comrades, get to work like men of intelligence and courage. Count it a privilege to share in this great work. We must move forward as irresistibly as the ocean tide, move in the direction predicted by those greatest thinkers of this or any other age—the men who linked their lives with the blood and tears and struggles of half a century in the greatest cause that ever throbbed in the brain of man.