STRIKE OFF.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 247, 18 October 1928, Page 7

STRIKE OFF.

WORK RESUMED.

Australian Watersiders Take

Out Licenses.

GENERAL COLLAPSE EXPECTED

SYDNEY, October 17.

The Wharf Labourers' Union at Melbourne to-day called the strike off. The members decided to register to-morrow in a body and also to resume work. The resolution embodying these decisions was carried almost unanimously.

The Port Phillip Stevedores' Association by a majprity of 400 votes decided against a resumption of work but agreed at a later stage to a secret ballot being taken on the question.

At Brisbane the waterside workers to-day decided to accept the new award and to take out licenses, on the condition that free labour is relnoved from the wharves.

The shipowners have advised the Brisbane branch of the Seamen's Union that they intend to retain the services of volunteer crewsl

At Newcastle and at Port Adelaide work on the wharves is now proceeding smoothly.

Several Communists were ejecced from a stop-work meeting of the Sydney waterside workers to-day. It was decided to withdraw from the Sydney Trades and Labour Council until that body conforms with the policy of the Australian Labour party.

In effect this means that the Waterside Workers' Federation disapproves of the extremist tactics of the council, whiqh is led by Jock Garden and a Communist minoritv.

The shipowners intend to ask Chief Judge Dethri'dge, of the Arbitration Court, on Friday to delete from Mr. •Justice Beeby's award all the clauses in relation to preference to members of the Waterside Workers' Federation, and for an addition whereby federation labour or other labour may be engaged on a weekly basis with a week's notice on either side.

Now that the strike at Melbourne ha* collapsed the members of the Waterside Workers' Federation here will get their jobs back, as no volunteers are employed on the inter-State ships. The owners have expressed their intention of retaining a large percentage of the volunteers as permanent stevedores.

This afternoon 600 wharf labourers registered under the Transport Workers Act.

At their stop-work meeting to-day the Sydney waterside workers decidcd to remain, at work. The feeling here is that the strike will completely collapse before the"end of the week.

Almost every passenger vessel along the coast at present is idle and the engineers, stewards and cooks are fervently hoping the end will come soon.