WORKER SUES UNION

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 344, 3 May 1928, Page 1

WORKER SUES UNION

REFUSED MEMBERSHIP CLAIM FAILS ON POINT OF LAW (Special to THE SUN) NAPIER, Wednesday. When James Mcßride, a Hastings labourer, once employed by Nelsons (N.Z.), Ltd., at the Tomoana freezing works, sought, in 1927, to become a member of the Freezing Workers’ Union, his application was refused, and he was so badly treated by the other employees that he thought it best to leave. } To-day he tried to recover £SO damages from the Wellington Freezing Workers and Related Trades Employees’ Union, alleging that, througn the union’s refusal to admit him to membership, he had lost 10 weeks and two days’ employment, and thereby lost £SO. When the case for the plaintiff closed Mr. O’Regan, for the defendant union, raised a nonsuit point on the grounds that plaintiff, on his own admission, had not been dismissed but had left voluntarily. The magistrate upheld the point and in finding against plaintiff said that he had made several applications for membership and that those applications should not have been abused. On or about March 16 last year the men had a stop-work meeting in respect of plaintiff, but it was not clear what their resolution was. It wa suggested that a deputation of the men had asked the company to dismiss McBride, but the company refused. There was evidence that some of the men went to the works and ga/e McBride such a bad time and intimidated him to such an extent that t had been necessary to send for the police. They had also threatened Mcßride, wh > become afraid and thought it best to leave.

It was clear, added the magistrate, that plaintiff had not been dismissed. His employers would have kept him on but it would not have been wise for him to stay. The men who molested him should have been arrested aril brought before the Court on an anpli - cation that they find sureties to keep the peace. The men simply intimidated Mcßride, but he should not have left. He should have taken advantage of his legal remedies.