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Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Vol 37, No. 16. July 10, 1974

Workers march on employers

page 4

Workers march on employers

Photo of workers marching in the central business district

Three thousand working men and women, with students and others in support, marched through Wellington last Friday to the Employers' Federation Building in Molesworth Street. The march was partly in solidarity with the Secretary of the Northern Drivers Union, Bill Andersen, imprisoned earlier in the week for defying a Supreme Court injunction. But by Friday the motivation had centred on a more crucial issue: the prevention of further use of such injunctions which infringe the right of workers to withdraw their labour.

Although the original intention was to march on Parliament, negotiations late on Thursday evening between the Trades Council and Minister of Labour, Hugh Watt, resulted in limitations on the stop-work and march—essential services being maintained and the change of destination, being decided on. In return for these concessions. Watt agreed to investigate a repeal of the injunction law, but refused to do so under pressure of industrial disruption, Norman Kirk had remarked after the Labour caucus on Thursday that certain measures were available to the government—deregistration and a local state of emergency—if they were in the 'public interest'. However his threats seem to have been as idle and ill-founded as his recent attack on TPA. for nothing eventuated.

In fact the conciliatory tone of Mr Watt's negotiations With the Trades Council tended to belie the Prime Minister's threatening comments earlier in the day.

However the attitude of Wellington's newspapers—for example the headline to the banner of the Thursday Dominion proclaimed 'Unions vs the Law'—and Kirk's remark that 'the public has had a gutsful', helped to arouse a large section of the public in opposition to the union stoppage. The reception to the march on Friday differed markedly from last month's march by seamen and drivers on Parliament when lunchtime crowds had watched quietly and some office workers had joined in. On Friday from Taranaki Street to Federation House the reaction of bystanders was often hostile, with the cry 'go back to work' being heard frequently.

The most vociferous opposition came from the balcony of the Central Post Office Building in Willis Street where it appeared the entire large staff had been given the morning off, to abuse and heckle the marchers.

The marchers however were generally orderly, responding to the insults with booing or cries of 'Why don't you come and join us?' Occasionally at the front of the demonstration the chant '1-2-3-4, end the anti-union law' and variations on that theme were loudly shouted out.

When the march passed Parliament the chant briefly changed to 'We want Norm' but soon petered out when those chanting realised that they didn't really want Norm at all.

The arrival of the march at federation House was met with applause from members of the Watersiders Union who had gathered there, to await the main demonstration.

Then the marchers stood across Molesworth Street to listen to various trade unionists speaking while a ten man deputation met with executives of the Employers' Federation.

The first speaker was Toby Hill of the Wellington Trades Council. He congratulated and thanked those who had taken part saying that despite accusations of irresponsibility leveled at the Trade Council for the action they had organised, the people present had not been forced into marching. He also described the democracy, discipline, and unity of the Trade Union movement and the necessity for such unity in defending the rights of working class people.

Jim Knox, Secretary of the FOL. stated that his executive had made their support of the union action quite clear. The stoppage was caused not only by the arrest of Bill Andersen but also by the need to remove the unjust law of injunctions. Knox recommended that the union stand firm and stated that an FOL delegation would meet the government as soon as-possible to request that the law be repealed.

Knox concluded that only the trade union movement could assure that action would be taken on this issue. The march would make government and employer alike aware that the risk of using the injunction law would be met with a full frontal clash with trade unions.

Tom Poata, a rank and file member of the Drivers' Union said that because many drivers were Maoris, like himself, he felt able to speak for his ethnic group as well as his union, in opposing injunctions.

Kay Goodger, of the Clerical Workers Union spoke of the urgent need to bring more women to the forefront and make them more understanding in union struggles and to educate them. Earlier that morning she had rung a talk back show on which the majority of women ringing in had opposed the unions' actions. The show's host, Brian Edwards, had recommended that women take action themselves, to the extent of the Lysistrata, to prevent union stoppages.

When the deputation returned Jim Knox told the marchers that Peter Luxford, Employers' Federation Executive Director, had agreed to make a joint approach to Government about the repeal of the injunction law. The Dominion of Saturday morning, however, reported that Luxford has made 'no response' to the delegations request.

Despite the abuse from the foot paths, the march showed that some sections of the workingclass and a large number of students are prepared to unite in solidarity against the injustices perpetrated by the present Government.