DOCK STRIKE IN AUSTRALIA

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27500, 6 November 1954, Page 7

DOCK STRIKE IN AUSTRALIA

Major Industries In Danger (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 10.45 pjn.) MELBOURNE, November 5. The four-days-old nation-wide dock strike has already reacted sharply on two of Australia’s major industries—wool and coal. With no settlement of the tie-up in sight the series of woolsales scheduled to begin on Monday were postponed today until further notice.

This was announced by Mr J. S. Gale, president of the National Council of Wool Brokers, and Mr D. A. S. Campbell, chairman of the Australian Council of Wool Buyers. On northern New South Wales coalfields 1000 men am thrown idle at mines producing 3000 tons of coal a day. There is no work for the men because of the lack of unloaded waggons, which are lined up on the deserted wharves of Newcastle and Sydney.

A spokesman for the Australian Iron and Steel Company at Port Kembla, New South Wales, said today the works would have to shut down if the strike continued, and production would slow immediately. 1 He said’ the company had 71,000 tons of steel awaiting shipment. Newspapers in Sydney today announced smaller editions for the duration of the strike owing to the lack of newsprint The Labour Minister (Mr Harold Holt), in a statement today, said there were two really vital issues which should be considered by all trade unionists and the community generally. These were:

(1) Whether the community and the trade union movement were prepared to tolerate indefinitely a highly unsatisfactory performance on the waterfront, which imposed unnecessary cost burdens on Australia’s economy. (2) Whether the powerful union was to be allowed by use of its strike weapon to frustrate the democratic-ally-elected Parliament from proceeding with policies believed to be in the national interest. vital Talks j Mr Holt said'the amendments which the Government proposed to make in the Stevedoring Industry Bill were in line with legislation in New Zealand and Britain. Settlement hopes for the strike hinge on vital union talks in Melbourne on Monday. The A.C.T-U. inter-State executive has called an emergency meeting on Monday of all unions whose members are likely to be affected by the strike. The meeting will consider the action of .the Waterside Workers’ Federation Federal Council in calling the strike, which has paralysed every port in the Commonwealth since Tuesday. After the meeting the A.C.T.U. interstate executive is expected ‘to frame recommendations for settlement of the dispute, which will be forwarded to the Federal Government. Theistrike was called in protest over the Federal Government’s bill to give shipowners the right to select wharf labour, in place of the current system under which the Waterside Workers’ Federation has a "closed shop” monopoly on labour appointments. IS# Ships Idle The strike has immobilised 150 ships. The liner Monowai, which is due to sail for Auckland today, will take back most of the cargo brought from New Zealand earlier this week. No outward cargo from Sydney will be carried.