BLACK BAN ON FREIGHTER

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25859, 19 July 1949, Page 5

BLACK BAN ON FREIGHTER

“IMPROPERLY IMPOSED BY SEAMEN” TRADE UNION COUNCIL’S DECISION (Rec. 10 p.m.) MELBOURNE, July 18. The Australasian Council of Trade Unions has decided that the black ban on the Canadian freighter, Haligonian Duke, was improperly imposed by the Seamen’s Union. The council said: “We consider that the vessel’s coal should be unloaded by union labour.” The emergency committee of the Australasian Council of Trade Unions conveyed its decision to a special meeting of the Seamen’s, Waterside Workers,’ Railways, Transport Workers,’ Fuel and Fodder, and Gas Unions, representatives of which told the council that they would have to reconsider the position.

The Haligonian Duke has Been delayed at Melbourne for more than four months and a half. She has a cargo of Indian coal. Although she is on the Canadian register, she was chartered as an empty ship, and has a British crew.

“After a thorough investigation of the evidence at our disposal, we declare that the Haligonian Duke is unjustifiably identified with the Canadian Seamen’s Union dispute,” said the emergency committee of the Council of Trade Unions.

Trades Hall officials regard the incident as another failure of the Com-munist-controlled unions to use union solidarity to help the striking miners. The leaders of the Seamen’s Union declared the ship black, and said that the unloading of the vessel's cargo would be a strike-breaking action. It is expected that the Victorian Government will postpone its plans to unload the ship with volunteer labour until the unions have had a chance to obey their governing body.