FEDERATION OF LABOR.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 3704, 13 December 1912, Page 2

FEDERATION OF LABOR.

TIIE CIRCULAR TO AUCKLAND UNIONS.

[BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT] AUCKLAND, Dee. 12.

The result of the circulars issued by the Federation of Lahor to the local unions backed up by delegations from the Executive has so far not been very successful in inducing the unions to give their consent to be represented at a conference with the Federation of Labor at Wellington on Tuesday, January 21, to take into consideration the question of united action ou amendments to the Conciliation and Arbitration Act.

The unfortunate part about the proposal is that the registered unions have hid tke fact dinned into their understandings for years past that the Federation of Labor would have nothing to do with the Act under any consideration, and the unions are questioning the intentions of the Federation as to whether the proposal to amend the Act is bona fide or not. Some entertain the proposal for direct representation at the proposed conference in January on the ground of expense, and may authorise a kindred union in Wellington to act as proxy, while others will leave the question for the Easter Conference of the United Labor Party to deal with. Mr P. C. Webb (President of the Federation Executive) attended the morning meeting of the pun. shift of the Auckland Tramway Union on December 3, but at the evening meeting of the a.m. shift on the same date it was decided to transact the business for which the meeting had been called, viz., the adoption of a new working statement, after which Mr Webb could address the members. As the new conditions took till after 10 o’clock to deal with the delegate got tired of waiting. At any rate. Mr Webb could not be found, so the address did not eventuate.