▁first ▁elected ▁as ▁a ▁delegate ▁of ▁the ▁Victor ian ▁Oper ative ▁Boot m akers ▁Union ▁to ▁the ▁Tr ades ▁Hall ▁Council , ▁and ▁later ▁served ▁on ▁the ▁Executive . ▁He ▁supported ▁inter - colon ial ▁strik ers , ▁female ▁organisation , ▁and ▁ag itation ▁for ▁piece ▁work ▁rates ▁as ▁opposed ▁to ▁a ▁minimum ▁w age ▁which ▁the ▁employ ers ▁were ▁after . ▁Due ▁to ▁decl ining ▁union ▁membership , ▁F lem ing ▁was ▁instrument al ▁in ▁the ▁Tr ades ▁Hall ▁Council ▁de vis ing ▁union ▁re - organisation , ▁which ▁resulted ▁in ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁un ions ▁being ▁brought ▁into ▁existence ▁and ▁many ▁old ▁ones ▁strength ened . ▁O ften ▁his ▁support ▁of ▁grass ▁roots ▁initi atives , ▁self - help ▁and ▁the ▁un emp loy ed ▁put ▁him ▁at ▁odd s ▁with ▁trade ▁union ▁b ureau cr ats ▁and ▁Labor ▁polit icians ▁such ▁as ▁William ▁T ren with , ▁who ▁he ▁accused ▁of ▁' working ▁with ▁blood - su ck ing ▁capital ists .' ▁▁ ▁Tw elve ▁months ▁later ▁he ▁was ▁elected , ▁uno pp osed , ▁President ▁of ▁his ▁union ▁for ▁a ▁ 6 - month ▁term , ▁and ▁for ▁a ▁similar ▁period ▁as ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁Fitz roy ▁branch ▁of ▁the ▁Progress ive ▁Political ▁League , ▁the ▁fore - runner ▁of ▁the ▁A LP . ▁F lem ing ▁was ▁a ▁supp orter ▁of ▁Max ▁Hir sch , ▁author ▁of ▁Dem ocracy ▁versus ▁Social ism . ▁▁ ▁At ▁a ▁Kn ights ▁of ▁Labor ▁meeting ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 3 ,