The 1912 Conference, however, did agree to permit the Unions affiliated to take political action, as the following resolution will show: “That, for the purpose of contesting elections, the Branches in the area involved may set up an election committee prepared to conform with the objective of the N.Z.F.L., and proceed to select a candidate and run the same; said candidate must be a financial member of the Federation, also a wage-worker. The Federation to be in no way responsible financially or otherwise.”
THE FEDERATION AND TRADES COUNCILS.
From the years 1910 to 1913 (three years of stress and storm in the Labour Movement of New Zealand) there was a distinct widening of the breach between the Federation and the Trades Councils. When the Federation was first established in Greymouth there was a likelihood of the Trades and Labour Councils taking definite action in the direction of forming a Federation of all workers. As was customary with this body, nothing definite was done.
Just how or why the extraordinary antagonism arose between the Federation and Trades Councils officials it is not easy to determine. For many years, indeed dating from the time of their establishment, the Trades Councils were the only organisations that made any pretence of dealing with national questions affecting organised Labour, but it cannot be denied that the officials of that group, more particularly in Wellington, displayed an animus against the Federation’s activities that bordered on the splenetic. It is also true, however, that the Federation officials did not run away from these attacks. As a matter of fact, they were met more than half-way, and the retaliation was vigorous and pointed to a degree.
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