AUSTRALIAN STRIKES

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24749, 14 December 1945, Page 7

AUSTRALIAN STRIKES

Union Leaders Confer POSSIBLE CHANGE IN ATTITUDE (N.2. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 10 p.m.) SYDNEY. Dec. IS. The most significant move in the strike situation in Australia is the meeting to-day of the three strike leaders, Mr McPhiSlips (ironworkers), Mr H. C. Wells (miners), and Mr E. V. Elliott (seamen).

i "Strong pressure from other i unions for a settlement and an i unequivocal stand by the Federal 3 Prime Minister (Mr J. B. Chifiey) , are believed to have placed the Communists in a position from i whicfi they will quickly have to : t extricate themselves," says the Sydt ney "Sun,” “Federal Ministers L believe that they are’ considering' l their moves to-day, that their ear- ' i Her uncompromising attitude may be changed, and that hopes for • settlement are brighter thian be- ■ fore.” • • ' ; In some union circles it is forecast that the central council of the Miners 1 i Federation may have decided to order the miners to resume work on Monday. Among mine managements there is also an element of anticipation that there will be an early resumption of . work, and preparations are being made at some mines on the assumption that they will be operating on Monday. ' It is predicted that if rank and file meetings are hey. there will be an overwhelming majority for an immediate resumption of work. Because of. the possibility of aggregate meetings* 1 being called, it-is recalled that in a. total vote of 4722 from a membership of about 18,000 the majority for a strike at aggregate meetings on De-, cember, 3 was only 712. No progress was made ,at a conference in Melbourne this morning be- ’ tween the Federal, Minister of Labour (Mr E- J. Holloway), State ’Ministers of Labour, and the chief general man- : ' ager of the Broken Hill Proprietary . (Mr Essington Lewis). Further Conference Arranged However, a conference of the . Australasian Council of Trade Unions and the Sydney Trades and. Labour Coun- . cil representatives of the three unions' mainly, concerned, and the New South • Wales Minister of Labour (Mr Hamilton Knight), will be held in Sydney to-morrow to discuss the position fur-. tner. After the Melbourne conference, the : Federal Minister of Labour said: "The V position is just as It was before the - Aus- , :; tralasian Council of Trade Unions to . find some solution or settlement” I,* Melbourne conference, -, r p i Clarey. president of the-Coun-cil of Trade Unions, said two-.points would be .discussed—the ; question of - holidays.' and, the recognition of* the . deregistered Ironworkers* Union. * _ The Ironworkers’ Union and the T Council of Trade Unions demand that' the Broken Hill Proprietary should recognise the union, and its delegates, apd ; officials simultaneously with its t; application for reregistration. So far, ' no move has been made by the ironworkers to seek reregistration. -■ ■ yP to the conference with ‘ Mr Chifiey on Tuesday, the strike leaders i were emphatic that they would hot break down from their refusal to allow their members to return to work until .. the Broken Hill Proprietary recognised 1 the Ironworkers’ Union. Mr Chifley's ‘ unrelenting stand for arbitration was a Stoat set-back for them, and since •- then, it is understood, pressure has been brought to bear on them by other . and more moderate unions to get the men back to work. The secretary of the Furnishing' s Trades Union - (Mr O. Schreiber) said ■ to-day: “No more impudent statement ’-■ has, yet been- made in connexion with • the strike than' that" issued by the Com- ■ munist strike leaders, Messrs Wells, McPhillips, and Elliott They and no . .one else are to blame for-the present dislocation of industry, unemployment, and public inconvenience. If. the Communist officials have their way,. • there will be a complete breakdown : of production and transport They have ; not the slightest feeling of sympathy with the working class, which suffers most, and expressions of regret -on their part are hypocritical and disgust* mg.” Mr Sohreiber’s union was one of 20 which sent telegrams to; Mr Chifiey applauding his stand for'arbitration;- - “Cankerous Growth” Endorsing Mr Chifley’s attitude in ; the strike crisis, in the New 'South' Wales ' Legislative* Assembly to-day, the Premier (Mr W. ,J. McKell) said that a cankerous, growth was - at- “ tacking the trade ' union movement. The New South Wales Labour Government stood for responsible .-govern-. : ment, and felt that the arbitration", system had elevated the workers from •> a system of bondage to a system of freedom. Mr McKell implored - trade unionists •. to_ use their tremendous strength toeliminate the cankerous growth now attacking the trade union movement•T assure you,” he said, “that it this cankerous growth is not eliminated, it Will not only destroy the trade union ; movement, but the very-future of Aus- * - tralia." . ; A big overseas freighter coming to Sydney to load frozen food for Britain < has been immobilised at Melbourne ’ through the strike. Her. coal reserves are low, and cannot be • replenished. Two coal-burning overseas steamers, the Fort McLaughlan and the Aleksander, cannot get enough coal to take them to Durban on their passage to Europe. They are to be diverted to sail from Sydney by way of New Zealand and South . America, probably Montevideo, where' coal is available.'

RATIONING OF POWER

MORE RESTRICTIONS SUGGESTED SYDNEY, December 13. The New South Wales - Minister of Local Government (Mr J. J. Cahill) has rejected a recommendation from the supply authorities for additional electricity and gas cuts. The Minister also rejected a recommendation that daylight saving should be introduced. The daily consumption of electricity in Sydney has dropped by 65 per cent, and consumption of gas by 45 per cent, as a" result of new restrictions whicli were imposed on Monday night. The Railway Department has announced additional train cancellations, and from next week-end the ferries on Sydney Harbour" will operate on a reduced schedule.

The engineers at the Bunnerong power-house, who struck last week, will resume work to-day. The men accepted the terms of the settlement submitted by union officials.

JAPANESE GIFT OF ARAB HORSE

(Rec. 7 p.m.) TOKYO, Dec. 12. The Japanese Racing Association ceremoniously transferred to Lieutenant Dick Ryan, of the United States Army, a white Arab horse which is described by the army as Hirohito’s own'' mount. Some sources challenge whether the horse is the same as that photographed carrying the Emperor, but it is agreed that it came from the royal stables. Army regulations relating to the shipment of pets overcome the shipping difficulty, and the horse will be exhibited in the United States for charity.

Palestine in Arab League,—The Arab League has decided to admit Palestine as a member, with full voting rights. —Cairo, December 12.