STRIKE FEARED

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 246, 31 July 1935, Page 5

STRIKE FEARED

SHIPPING IN UNITED STATES.

GOVERNMENT CALLS A CONFERENCE. (United Press Association—Copyright) WASHINGTON, July 29. The Department of Labour to-day summoned a conference between leading to another general shipping strike on the Pacific coast. From statements issued to-day it appears that the activities of Harry Bridges, the Australian - born union leader, will be the principal issue before the conference. Shippers complain that he has repeatedly broken the arbitration agreement reached in the settlement of the strike last summer, and for that -reason they are prepared to denounce the agreement when it comes up for. extension next month. They say Bridges, who controls the San Francisco watersiders, has been calling for sympathetic strikes for the benefit of the Vancouver strikers, whose organisation is not covered by the agreement, and refuses to allow vessels loaded by strike-breakers at Vancouver to be unloaded at San Francisco. Because of this a considerable quantity of Hour and other perishables is rotting in San Francisco Bay. , , . It is understood that the shipowners are prepared to insist that Bridges either abide by the agreement or be removed from the leadership of the San Francisco Union. As Bridges has already defied the authority of the National Longshoremen’s Union, he is not expected to give up his position •without a fight.