NO TRAINS OR TRAMS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 127, 14 March 1950, Page 3

NO TRAINS OR TRAMS

MELBOURNE STRIKE COMMUNIST ELEMENT AT WORK (N.Z.P.A.—Copy right) (10.40) MELBOURNE, This Day. From midnight last night no trains, trams or Government buses have run in Melbourne or suburbs. The Communist-controlled Victorian executive of the Australian Railways Union called a lightning one-day strike of suburban railway guards in support of the tramwaymen, whose strike is now in its film'd week. . ‘ The guards’ strike has been called as a one-day stoppage, but at a meeting to-day guards may decide to extend it until wages and conditions claims are met. After a special Cabinet meeting, the Premier, Mr T. T. Hollway, described the guards’ action as a quick countermove by the Communist element in the railways to prevent the collapse of the tram strike, and added: “This is Communist tactics at their worst, and not only the public but all unionists in the railways should realise this. The decison was made in spite of the fact that at a secret ballot last week the guards determined against a strike. The Government emphatically believes in union control by members themselves.”. The guards’ action is similar to that of the Wonthaggi coalminers, who have gone out in support of the tramwaymen, and have made a number of demands on their own behalf. The Railways Union secretary, Mr J. J. Brown, says it.is wrong to call the guards’ action a sympathy strike, but Mr C. O’Shea, ' the Tramways Union State secretary, says it is. The strikers have not yet objected to the operations of private bus lines or extension of emergency transport. The Trades Hall Council is examining the strikes which, according to the secretary, Mr J. V. Stout, were finder taken “contrary -to the rules of the council and without consultation with it.”