LABOR CONFERENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 212, 27 January 1913, Page 5

LABOR CONFERENCE.

CONSOLIDATING THE WORKERS. '■ THE POLITICAL PLATFORM. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. On Saturday afternoon the conference adopted the resolution moved by Mr. Borehani (Dunedin Trawlers)'on the previous day, urging workers to use every endeavor before next election to secure the defeat of the. Massey Ministry.

Mr. Webb presented the report of the committee oft unity as follows: "That tliis conference recommend the following outline as indicating the. lines along which a constitution should be drawn up:— "Industrial name.—United Federation of Labor. "Composition.—The organisation shall b'; 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. "Objects.—To secure the employment of our members in preference to nonunionists; to maintain a spirit of fraternal sympathy with the workers of this and other countries, bv assisting them when necessary; (2) to use our united efforts to discourage contract labor and the bonus systems, and, as soon as possible, to abolish them; (3) to enable the Federation to own and publish a newspaper or papers; (4) to ensure to members, 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 for effective working-class action in time of international conflict; (0) the United Federation will always act with the end in view of securing to workers the full product of their labor. ■'Management.-—The national executive shall consist of general officers and of repre.sentathes from each industrial department, officers to be elected by ballot of the whole organisation, and other executive members to be elected by a referendum of the respective industrial departments.

"Arbitration.—The United Federation of Labor leaves the matter ( of registration or not registering or of cancelling registration under the Conciliation and Arbitration Act, entirely with each union: but in any case it will oppose registration of any new union to succeed any union which may have cancelled registration, and will seek legislation to that effect. "Strikes.—Each union shall have power of internal government, but no union shall involve another in any strike, without first placing the matter unreservedly in the hands of its department for decision, and no department shall involve the national organisation in any strike without first placing the matter unreservedly in the hands of the national executive for decision. Tn the event of the national executive deciding in favor of a strike, it shall give the whole power of the United Federation of Labor in support. "Existing Parties.—That the respective executives of the New Zealand Federation of Labor and the United Labor Party be united, while not in any way abating their own activities, to utilise the existing machinery and organisers to push forward the work of organisation on the linos agreed upon at this conference.

POLITICAL. "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 a sub-committee be instructed to draft a declaration of principles.

Platform.—A sub-committee shall prepare a platform winch shall include- the usual legislative proposals of organised labor in this country, including consideration of wages and hours, together with such matters as land, industrial and commercial monopolies, the initiative and referendum, the recall, and proportional representation.

Existing Parties.—That the respective executives of the Federation of Labor and United Labor Party and the Socialist Party be invited to co-operate fully in organisation on lines agreed upon at this conference.

"This party shall be distinct from and independent of any other party." The report was adopted after a short discussion.

At the conclusion of the conference the chairman, the Hon. J. Rigg, was complimented upon his conduct of the proceedings, and was presented with a framed photograph of the delegates.

A WATIII MATTER. Wellington, Saturday. At the Labor Conference to-day a telegram was read from, tde Wanganui branch of the Socialist Party, congratulating the conference on it's efforts to create unity. On the motion of Mr. Tliekey, it was decided "That the attention ' of this conference having been called to the telegram appearing in the daily press re Mr. McLennan being repudiated by the Waihi miners as a delegate to the conference, it desires to point out that Mr. McLennan is accepted as a representative of organised labor and not as a representative of the non-union-ists." After dealing with routine matters, the conference adjourned for lunch.