More Misrepresentation

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 90, 6 December 1912, Page 8

More Misrepresentation

WELLINGTON WATERSIDE WORKERS. AND THE FEDERATION OP LABOR. NO PROPOSALS FOR SECESSION. Speaking to a "Post" representative on November 16, Mr. G. G. Farland, secretary of the Wellington Waterside Workers' Union, gave an emphatic denial to a statement published in a contemporary that a strong move is growing up to "turn down" the Federation of Labor. The article in question added that ,r a requisition was in circulation yesterday amongst the men asking that a special meeting of the union should be called fo consider a motion in the direction of asking that the union, because of the tactics of the Federation at Waihi, should sever its connection with that body. At noon yesterday 93 signatures had been attached to this document. The president of the- union brought a similar motion before the committee recently, but it was rejected." Mr. Farland went on to say that inquiries had been made all nmnd the waterside to find out where- the requisition is, but no trace of it can be found, nor could they find any person who signed it. He had seen the president of the union (Mr. F. Curtis) that morning, and he bore out that statement. Again, no motion for secession had been brought before the union by the president. The committee believed in freedom of speech and freedom of action, and if there was a feeling among any number of tihe men on the waterside in favor of secession every opportunity would be given for a ballot to be taken on the question. The information in the possession of the committee was that there is such an overwhelming majority in favor of retaining affiliation with the militant body that it would be absolutely futile to take such a ballot. They were well aware that in any large organisation there was always likely to be a number of men who were disgruntled opponents of the party which happened to be in power for the time being, but the officers were desirous of carrying out the wishes of the majority of members and the desires expressed in meeting assembled. It was, of course, an easy matter to get signatures to a requisition calling a special meeting among such a large body of men as those composing the Wellington Waterside Workers' XJnion, because it must be remembered that the union is the biggest centralised union in New Zealand; the average "floating population" among the members is between 600 and 700 a year, and a requisition to discuss any subject under the sun could. among such a body of men, be easily obtained.

Looking at the matter from a broadminded point of view, continued Mr. Farland, the officers of the union consider that although the Federation may have received a momentary set-bsck through what happened at Wfiihi, unions generally wiil recognise the power of the Federation to better the conditions already obtaining. Their long exDerienne of the arbitration system ha 9 told them that they cannot expect any further improvement from that institution. They consider thai* it would be n suicidal policy to withdraw from the Federation, and to stand, a single unit, against the opposing forces of the employing classes without the backing that tliey how have.