UNION DISPUTE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 November 1940, Page 9

UNION DISPUTE

SOUTH ISLAND MAIN TRUNK WORKERS. MESSAGE TO MR SEMPLE. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) HASTINGS. November 5. The leaders of the Democratic Labour Party, Messrs Barnard and Lee, have sent a telegram to the Minister of Public Works, Mr Semple, expressing the hope that “political influence will not be used to dragoon a group of workers on the South Island Main Trunk who have a legitimate grievance which should be investigated before the power of the State is invoked to fortify headquarters against rank and file members of the Workers’ Union.” A Press Association telegram fromChristchurch yesterday stated that between 300 and 400 men employed on the South Island Main Trunk railway had been ■ dismissed, having failed to produce tickets of financial membership of the New Zealand Workers' Union within the stated time. The men said the question of membership was a “purely domestic quarrel.” The national president of the union asked Mr Semple to enforce section 34- of the public workers agreement, which provides for the dismissal of men who are not financial members of the union. The men were reported by Mr D. D. Popplewell, secretary of the Oaro branch, to be members of the Workers’ Union, with which a dispute arose over the appointment of organisers.