UNITY APPROVED

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8339, 27 January 1913, Page 3

UNITY APPROVED

TEKMS OF THE DRAFT CONSTITUTION. | Mr Webb then presented the report of the committee on unity, which was as follows: INDUSTRIAL. That this conference recommends the following outline as indicating the lines along which a constitution should he drawn up by the subcommittee 6et up to draft a constitution to be considered, amended, if necessary, and adopted by the joint congress of unions to be held in Wellington, commencing on the first Tuesday in July. 1913. Your committee also recommends that the proposed conference to be held in Jnly snail forthwith inaugurate the new body as a going concernName. TJnited Federation of labour. Composition. The organisation shall be composed of actual wage-workers brought together in an organisation embodying industrial departments, each department to cover some industry such as mining, transportation, building trades, etc. Preamble. Tne working class and the employing class have nothing in common. There can be no peace so long as hunger and want are found among millions'of working people and the tew, who make up the employing class, have all the good things of life. Between these two classes a struggle must go on until the workers of tne world organise as a class, take possession of the earth and the machinery of production, and abolish the wage system.

We find that the cetreing of the management of industries intp fewer and (fewer hands makes the trade unions •unable to cope with the ever-growing power of the employing class. The tirade unions foster a state of affairs which allows! one set of workers to be pitted against another set of workers in the same industry, thereby helping defeat one another in wage wars. These conditions can be changed and the interest of the working class upheld only by an organisation formed in such a way that all its members in any one industry, or in all industries, if necessary, cease work whenever a strike or lock-out is on in any department thereof, thus making an injury to one an injury to all. Instead of the conservative motto: "A fair day’s wages for a fair day’s work," onr watchword is: ‘Abolition of the wage system." It is the historic mission of the working class to do away with capitalism. The army of production must bo organised, not only for the everyday struggle with capitalists, but also to carry on production when capitalism shall have been overthrown. By organising industrially we are forming the structure of the new society within the shell of the old.

Knowing, therefore, that such an organisation is absolutely necessary for onr emancipation, we unite under the following constitution: Objects.

1. To secure employment of onr members in preference to non-unionists; to maintain a spirit of fratrnal sympathy with the workers of this and other countries by assisting them when necessary.

2. To use our united efforts to discourage the contract labour and bonus systems, and as soon as possible to abolish these, believing the said systems to be detrimental to the best interests of organised labour. 3. To enable and provide for the federation to own, publish and control a newspaper or newspapers. 4. To ensure to members who are proved to have been unjustly treated the support of the federation. 5. To link up with the industrial organisations of all other countries for the achievement of international solidarity and also for more effective working class action in time of international industrial conflict.

6. Tho united federation will always act with tho ond in view of securing to tho workers the full product of their labour. Management.

The national executive shall consist of general officers and of representatives from each industrial department, the officers te be elected by ballot of the whole organisation and the other executive members to be elected by referendum of tbeir respective industrial departments. Arbitration. The United Federation of Labour leaves the matter of registration, or of not registering, or of cancelling registration under the Conciliation and Arbitration Act entirely with each union; but in any case it will oppose the registration of any new union to succeed any union which may have cancelled its registration, and will seek for legislation to that effect. Strikes. Each union shall have power of infernal government, but no union shall involve another in any strike without first placing the matter unreservedly in the hands of its department for its decision, and no department shall involve the national organisation in any strike without first placing the matter unreservecnr in the hands of the national executive for decision. In the event of the national executive deciding in favour of a strike it shall give the whole power of the United Federation of Labour supp ort . Existent Parties. That the respective executives of the New Zealand Federation of Labour and the United Labour Party be invited, while not in any way abating their own activities, to utilise their existing machinery and organisers to push forward the work of organisation on the lines agreed upon at this conference. REPORTS ADOPTED. Mr .Wehh, in moving the adoption of.

the reports, said this would achieve unit on the industrial field. . Mr Semple supported the motion. Tusaid the conference’s work was a magnificent achievement, and he was sure tha; the miners would hail its decisions—decisions which sealed, the doom of the Massey Government and proclaimed for The abolition of the master class. , Mr Tregear supported the motion. _ Mr Mills, in seconding tbe motion, said be had taken part in many conferences lor consolidation, hut he had never taken part in a conference where the warring edges had worn off so readily as m this case. In arriving at the decisions tho utmost consideration had been accorded him and his fellow delegate, and no vote had been carried merely because tbe majority was there to carry, it, but as the result of careful discussion and deep thought. The report, after discussion, was also presented the following report: POLITICAL. That this conference recommends the following outline as indicating the lines along which a constitution should be drawn up by the sub-committee sot up to draft a constitution to be considered, amended if necessary, and adopted by the joint congress of unions to be held in »Wellington, commencing on the nrst Tuesday in July. 1913. Your committee also recommends that the proposed conference to be held in July shall forthwith inaugurate the new body as a going concern. Name. Social Democratic Party. Objective. The socialisation of the collectively used means of production, distribution, and exchange. . Composition. The party shall consist of unions, local branches, and individual members prepared to endorse the foregoing and pledge their support. Principles. That the subcommittee be instructed -to draft a declaration of principles. Platform. The subcommittee shall prepare a platform which shall include the usual legislative proposals of organised labour in this country, including a consideration of wages and hours, together with such matters as laud, industrial and commercial monopolies, the initiative and referendum, the recall and proportional representation. Existent Parties. That tho respective executives of the New Zealand Federation of Labour, the United Labour party, and the Socialist party bo united, while not in any way abating their own activities, to utilise their existing machinery and organisers to push forward the work of organisation on the lines agreed upon at this conference. This party shall 'he distinct from, any other party or parties, and its attitude towards any other party or parties shall be that of independence. This report was adopted on the motion of Messrs Webb and Young. PRESENTATION TO THE CHAIRMAN.

At the conclusion of tho proceedings Mr Webb, president of the Federation of Labour, congratulated the chairman on the able and impartial manner in which he had conducted the affaire of the conference. (Applause.) Ho presented Mr Rigg with a framed photograph of tho delegates at tho conference.

The presentation was accompanied with cheering, delegates singing “For he’s a jolly good fellow-’’ The chairman said that was the greatest ovation he tad ever received in his life—and it was greatest because of its sincerity. He had had the good fortune to have had the unanimous co-operation and assistance of the delegates. Only once had ho had to touch the hell to keep members in order—and even then the bell didn’t sound. He congratulated them on the great work they had done, and hoped when their great party was formed he would moot with them .Again as a member.

Mr Mills also added a tribute, as from the United Labour party, to the chairman's conduct of the conference.