DOCK STRIKE GRIPS AUSTRALIA

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27498, 4 November 1954, Page 13

DOCK STRIKE GRIPS AUSTRALIA

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 10.30 p.m.) SYDNEY, November 3. Australia is in the grip of a nation-wide dock strike.

Waterside workers, at meetings throughout the country today, decided to refuse to work with labour recruited by the shipowners. They also decided to stay out until ordered to return to work by their Federal council. Today’s decision, which followed a 24-hour protest stoppage yesterday, tied up ships in every port in Australia and observers predict that the Federal Government is about to face the toughest industrial fight in its history,.

The watersiders are protesting against the Federal Government’s move to authorise the employers to nominate men to become waterside workers.

The Government’s measure to introduce a system of waterfront engagement will be tabled in the Federal Parliament tomorrow. At present the Waterside Workers’ Federation has the sole right to admit men to union membership and work on the wharves.

Mass meetings of the 26,000 members of the federation at 60 ports in Australia today endorsed a recommendation of the Federal council which said, in part, that the right to recruit labour was a fundamental right “enjoyed by us for many years.” The Federal council later announced that the mass meetings had voted in favour of a strike in all ports and had voted to continue the strike until the Government withdrew its plans to change the methods of labour recruitment. The general secretary of the watersiders’ union (Mr J. Healy) told more than 5000 men at the Sydney meeting that eleventh-hour attempts were being made to induce the Government to delay the legislation. If the Government were adamant, the men must be prepared for a Commonwealth-wide fight to the Qnish, he declared. The union’s stand was strengthened today by a decision by the Labour Parliamentary caucus rejecting the proposed alterations to the method df waterside recruiting. Government’s Plans The Labour ,Minister (Mr Harold Holt), who prescribed the waterside stoppages as Communist inspired, told a questioner in Parliament today that the Government would consider seeking additional powers if there was an attempt to defy Parliament. There was a lively scene in the House when the Speaker (Mr A. G. Cameron) refused to allow the Opposition Leader (Dr. H. V. Evatt) to ask additional questions about the proposed legislation, with Government members shouting: “Sit down.” Mr Holt said the Government was taking action because the waterside workers had refused to comply with the directions of the Stevedoring Industry Board to fill their “work quotas” and bring ports up to strength in the number of waterside workers. The watersiders’ stoppage has already resulted in a big bank-up of cargo. It has affected more than 150 ships in Australian ports, including 50 in Melbourne and 48 in Sydney. Shipowners are losing more than £90,000 a day, and the watersiders £78,000 a day in wages. „ ... Shipping men said that if the strike continued, it could create chaos and endanger the national economy.