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F.O.L.—Equal To The Task?

"The winds of change are blowing," said National Executive member Sid Wheatley at the conclusion of the F.O.L. Conference.

But it remains to be seen just how hard that wind is going to blow. Details of the settlement of the bus drivers' dispute are yet to be made public. The two new F.O.L. Executive members, Wes Cameron and Ken Douglas have yet to show what difference their presence will make, and the whole trade union movement is left with a number of difficult problems immediately facing it.

The already existing, and further proposed fascist-type legislation restricting the rights of unions is the principal immediate obstacle confronting the movement. As several delegates pointed out during the conference, the repressive laws directly obstruct the improvement of workers' wages and conditions and cannot be ignored by any union.

In pointed contrast to his well-known comment on the punitive political strike legislation in the Commerce Act ("we can live with it,") Sir Thomas Skinner appeared to take a different line in the conference. In his official Presidential address he stated:

"We reiterated to the Government that no free trade union movement anywhere in the world can stand idly by and live with that kind of legislation." (Presidential address, P.2.)

However, Salient understands that during the debate on the practical question of the situation facing the bus drivers it was the voices from the floor of the conference rather than the platfrom which most faithfully followed Skinner's own advice that:

"Any attempt to use the penal provisions must be seen as an attack on the whole trade union movement and will only be defeated if the movement sees this and acts accordingly." (Presidential address P. 2.)

Although there will continue to be viewpoints among the unions as to the importance of the new repressive legislation and what to do about it, one thing is certain; the conference showed that there is a growing realisation among unionists that the movement must fight back now, while it still has something left to fight with. The philosophy which suggests that a big campaign solely around the question of a wage increase will somehow shoulder its way through the industrial law is becoming revealed as the bankrupt nonsense that it is. As one delegate told us," with these laws hanging over our heads we're in no position to bargain with the employer. You can't have the boss on for more money without taking on these new laws as well."

A useful contribution to this struggle was made by NZUSA and the Working Women's Alliance who jointly produced the pamhplet "Labour's Leg Irons — a guide to the new Industrial laws." Whis was well received by conference delegates. (Salient recommends that students should obtain and study this booklet, which not only analyses existing legislation but also warns of intended law which threatens the rights of students. For example the Judicature Amendment (No. 2) Bill — Ed.)

The problem of the extended wage freeze (announced conveniently just after the conference) is likely to develop into an attempt by the state to impose a type of 'social contract' on the working class. It is understood that Peter Gordon, the Minister of Labour, intends to have discussions on the topic with Jack Jones, the British Trade Union Congress leader, and architect of the increasingly discredited British 'social contract.'

This 'new and more flexible system of wage fixing' as Muldoon bluntly calls it, was referred to by Sir Thomas at the conference, but the question was not thoroughly debated, nor was an attempt made to learn from the bitter experience of the British workers, who have been increasingly rebelling against the 'social contract' imposed upon them. It will be a test of the new F.O.L. executive but also of the strength and determination of the whole trade union movement to see whether or not the New Zealand worker will be misled into accepting the confidence trick now being prepared by the Muldoon Government.

The overall economic situation was viewed optimistically by the top F.O.L. leadership. Skinner was "in no doubt that we are entitled to expect a continued improvement in our trading balances." He also suggested that "productive enthusiasm" would go a long way towards improving the situation.

This optimism was not shared by all the delegates several of whom pointed out that the economic crisis is worsening, and that repressive Government measures and a decline in living standards would necessarily accompany this. This view would seem to be borne out by the facts, when one takes into account the falling rate of growth in manufactured exports, meat and wool, coupled with the $650,000,000 balance of payments deficit, and heavy foreign borrowing. It is also apparent that the building industry is close to recession and the sales of new cars are the lowest in six years. The position in many other industries follows this trend. In such a situation it is obvious that the employers and the state will have to shift the burden on to the backs of the working people, who are showing their discontent increasingly with strikes and boycotts of selected commodities.

Will the trade union movement be equal to this situation? The answer is simply that it will have to be, if the New Zealand workers are not to suffer greatly in the future. And as the economic crisis and the corresponding repression grows it is necessary for students to realise that their democratic rights and standard of living can only be protected by uniting with the workers and their organisations. There is no solution but unity against the alarming trends of poverty and fascism currently threatening New Zealanders.

— Salient Industrial Reporter.