WORKERS' UNION

Southland Times, Issue 18858, 25 June 1920, Page 7

WORKERS' UNION

MEETING AT GORE. Mr A. J. Middicmiss, the Southland representative at the annual convention in Wellington, addressed a meeting of thirty members of the New Zealand Workers’ Union at Gore on Saturday evening, when Mr George Bryan occupied the chair. The speaker prefaced his remarks by thanking the members for having returned him as the Southland member on the national executive of the union for the thiid term. He outlined the work of the conference, especially mentioning that the following industrial unions had amalgamated with the New Zealand Workers’ Union: The Mana.vatu Flax Workers, King Country Sawmill and Timber Workers, New Zealand Construction and Tunnel Workers and the North Island Dairy Workers. This brought nearer the day of the one big union which he contended would make for cheaper administration and more effective working of the industrial labour movement in this country. An amalgamation with the Australian Workers’ Union had also been finally effected by conferences, and notification had been given. The speaker quoted two instances of the vast wealth held by the A.W.U., viz., freehold land and Mac Donald House, at Sydney, valued at approximately £107,000, and the St. Andrew’s Place building and site of the Australian Worker which were valued in the balance sheet at £19,600 approximately. Mr Middlerniss claimed that the membership of the New Zealand Workers’ Union, with (he recent additions, was close upon 2.5,000 men and youths. The recent agreement between the Public Works section of the Workers’ Union and the Minister of Public Works was explained, whereby the men gained valuable concessions, including ten days annual holiday on full pay, the speaker contending that this agreement made it the duty of every worker to support the union in return by becoming members during the coming year. At (he conclusion of the address several questions were asked and answered and the meeting terminated with the usual vote of thanks.