GENERAL STRIKE OF SEAMEN

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21647, 4 December 1935, Page 11

GENERAL STRIKE OF SEAMEN

t Federal Government's r Ultimatum ? MEN GIVEN 48 HOURS LICENSING SYSTEM THREATENED j fIUHTED PEES 3 ASSOCIATION— COPTBIGHT.) ((Received December 4, 2.5 a.m.) I SYDNEY, December 3. ! a general strike of seamen, eomplely dislocating Australian shipping, was decided on by mass meetings of seamen in Sydney and Melbourne to-day, and in the House of Representatives to-night, the Prime ' Minister (Mr J. A. Lyons) delivered an ultimatum to the men. Mr Lyons said the Government would give the seamen 48 hours to return to work, and if they did not, it would apply the Transport Workers Act, now operating in the case of ■ waterside workers in several ports, under which men seeking employment on ships would have to obtain licenses. 7 The mass meetings of seamen Overwhelmingly rejected the new 'award. The Sydney seamen heaviily defeated a motion by the General Secretary of the union, Mr Jacob Johnson, that the award Should be accepted pending a plebiscite for the acceptance or rejection of the award. The resolution passed described the court's award ,as a "vicious attack on the conditions of the men," and instructed all members of the union to give 24 hours' notice. It expressed the willingness of the union to negotiate direct with the shipowners on the basis of the old award, for a shorter working week, and upon the improvements contained in the new award. More than 1000 men attended a stop-work meeting in the basement of the Sydney Town Hall. The ' discussion at times was extremely acrimonious. The officials, anxious for peace, impressed on the men that the new award had many advantages not hitherto enjoyed, but they were repeatedly howled down. Fears are now expressed that the waterside workers, whose award is due for revision, may join the seamen. The Niagara, which arrived yesterday, made a call for wharf labourers to-day, but no men responded, and the ship was moved to Cockatoo Dock with its cargo still aboard.

At Melbourne, after nearly two hours' discussion, the Melbourne branch of the Seamen's Union passed a resolution rejecting the new award and directing every, member of the union on ships in port to give 24 hours' notice immediately. Members of all other ships will give notice when they reach their home port. About 250 were preseift, and the resolution was carried by an overwhelming majority in. spite of vigorous opposition from the Federal President; Mr .W. Clarke. The Melbourne decision means that Tasmania will become isolated except for- a one day a week service .provided by oversea liners under a recent amendment in the Navigation Act. At the Adelaide stopwork meeting the South Australian branch of the union decided to repudiate the award and support whatever actior. was taken in Sydney. In Brisbane the seamen decided to recommend immediate application to the Commonwealth Arbitration Court for variation of the new award with respect to the obnoxious clauses, but retaining the monetary clauses, which are an improvement on those of past awards.

Thousands Affected Among the passenger ships listed to sail this afternoon which are now held up indefinitely are the Wanganella, for Auckland, the Canberra, for Melbourne, and the Adelaide and Manunda for Cairns and other ports. Hundreds of passengers will have to find other means of transport, involving serious inconvenience and loss of time and money. Should the .dispute cover the 105 vessels engaged in the coastal trade, it is estimated that 4000 seamen, in addition to thousands of wharf labourers, stewards, tally clerks, and carters will be idle.

f. The shipping companies report that at least 5000 persons are booked •for pleasure cruises and coastal trips between now and January. The Taiping, sailing to-day, received a permit to carry passengers to Melbourne.