MILITANT LABOUR

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 42, 19 February 1931, Page 11

MILITANT LABOUR

MEETING IN SYDNEY

GARDEN AND GENERAL STRIKE

(Received 19th February, 10 a.m.) • SYDNEY, This Day. The militant section of the Australian Council of Trades Union Congress sitting in Sydney yesterday, submitted a recommendation for tho general strikebeginning on 25th February, on the

grounds already published. An attempt was made to pack the meeting. Fights occurred with the doorkeeper, and disorderly scenes were enacted at various stages of the proceedings. No decision was reached. Mr. J. S. Garden was the most prominent advocate of a strike. Mr. J. S. Garden's amendments to the general strike proposal, moved by Mr. Chapman, of the New South Wales railways, comprised the appointment of a committee of four to place before the Federal and State Governments immediately the following demands:— (1) A shorter working week. (2) Restoration of the 10 per cent, reduction in wages undei" certain^ awards, recently ordered by the Arbitration Court. (3) Assurance that there shall be no reduction in old age, infirmity, invalid, or war pensions. (4) Provision for food, clothing, and shelter for unemployed workers in accordance with the standard of the Harvester judgment. Mr. Garden stated that .Mr. Lang had appealed to him to furnish a statement as to what the workers demanded, and had given him an assurance that he intended to see the demands granted. Mr. Garden added that from previous experience he wa's certain that the Federal politicians would again procrastinate, so he moved the amendments formally to throw the onus on the Federal Ministry. Personally he favoured a general strike.