Employers, Ideals.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 86, 1 November 1912, Page 5

Employers , Ideals.

HUNTLY CHAIRMAN OF DIRECTORS ON UNIONISM. WANTS ARBITRATIONISTS. The following was wired to the daily papers from Auckland:— It has been -stated that the decision of the directors of the Huntly mines in dismissing the executive of the Waikafco Miners' Union was a distinct blow a/t Unionism. "This phrase has been a favorite one amongst the revolutionary members of the Federation of Labor during the. last day or two." A "Herald" representative saw the chairman of the Taupiri Company directors and asked him his view regarding these statements. "Was your action in any way an attempt to strike a blow at Unionism?" he was asked. "Nothing was, or is, further from our hiifids," Mr. Alison replied. "The directors are not children playing a simple game. They know, as every employer knoWs, that it is Sow W&Sh too late to attempt to do any -aueh foolish thing, even if they thought tliat tho abolition of unionism would be a wise proceeding. I can only repeat, with all the emphasis that I am capable of, that the directors recognise fully, not only the right, but the desirability—if you like, the necessity— of workers in a large industry being bantted together officially in a Union and taking united action for the benefit of members." "It has been said that if a new union were formed under the Arbitration Act, the directors would still be hostile to it. Is that tiWP"

"I can assure you," Ml-. Alison answered, "that that is absolutely false. The directors would welcome the formation of siich a union, and I may Hefe state that they "have ho ■ifesire to use the present position as a means towards altering tire terms of the existing award. The formation ot such a union would Toe a solution of the present'unfortunate position, «»d it would make for industrial peace. Tes! And for the solidarity of Labor as Wfell. It must be evident to all unprejudiced persons that the tactics that have been, adopted Terantry are "surely *ati<3 TapiaTy destroying that very solidarity of Labor which the promoters of these tactics claim to Uβ fostering." ■