DECLARED LOCK-OUT

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 301, 20 December 1943, Page 3

DECLARED LOCK-OUT

Broken Hill Company Ordered

To Reopen Works

DISPUTE AT NEWCASTLE

Rec. 1.30 p.m. SYDNEY, this day.

Acting on an order by the Prime Minister, Mr. Curtin, the Broken Hill Proprietary Company last night reopened its Newcastle steel works. Nearly 7000 men had been idle at the works and at two subsidiary companies during the week-end.

Mr. Curtin's official order, made under the National Security Regulations, referred to the dispute as a "lock-out" by the company. The hold-up at the works began last Wednesday and the production of thousands of tons of steel was lost.

The breach between the company and the men occurred when members of the Ironworkers' Union objected to the company employing a nonunionist at one of the blast furnaces. After discussions lasting several hours a stoppage was decided upon. The company then issued notices to the employees at the blast furnaces that their services were no longer required.

When the blast furnaces ceased work other sections of the plant dependent on gas and raw steel from the furnaces also had to close down. By the week-end 7000 men were idle. Since the hold-up began the union has directed its members to report for work at the normal times.

A Court order was made for work to be resumed, but the company spokesman said it was felt that a resumption would not be justified until the men undertook that there would be no more stoppages. The Prime Minister then issued his direction. Failure to obey this order would have rendered all the directors of the company liable to a fine of £100 or six months gaol, or both.