TALKS ON DOCK STRIKE

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27502, 9 November 1954, Page 13

TALKS ON DOCK STRIKE

Serious Effect On Industry Feared (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 10 p.m.) SYDNEY, November 8. The fate of thousands of Australian workers is in the balance as talks aimed at settling the nation-wide waterfront strike take place in Melbourne. If the talks fail, drastic retrenchment is expected in major sections of industry where supplies dependent on sea transport haye been cut off.

The Melbourne talks have been organised by the executive of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, which discussed the strike today and adjourned its until tomorrow. The executive is conferring with the leaders of the Waterside Workers’ Federation and with the leaders of other unions likely to be affected by the strike

The watersiders have struck in protest against legislation which the Government has introduced into Parliament to give the shipowners the right to nominate men as watersiders.

The Prime Minister (Mr Menzies), said in Canberra today that the Government would resist pressure to drop its new legislation and described the strike as a threat to Parliamentary Government. He told the annual conference of the Liberal Party’s federal executive: “Democracy will have ended if the day comes when a pressure group, however big, can force the national Parliament to drop legislation it believes In.” He said no employer could tell Parliament not to pass a law and no union could either.

The general secretary of the Waterside Workers’ - Federation (Mr J. Healy) told a mass meeting of strikers in Melbourne that the stoppage was not a defiance of the Gevemment. He said the amendments to the act were not yet law and if they did not protest now, it would be too late. Mr Healy said the Federal Minister of Labour (Mr E. H. Holt) had been told that the watersiders would return to work tomorrow if he would agree to a public inquiry before the new legislation was passed. Canberra messages say that in unofficial talks with union leaders over the week-end, Government representatives reiterated that the Commonwealth intends to “go the limit” in the waterfront strike.

Right-wing unions are reported to be not keen to become embroiled in a nation-wide flare-up. Government sources say this is likely to act as a brake on extremists who would advocate the development of the dispute into a general strike. If the A.C.T.U. talks break down, troops are expected to move on to the wharves to handle cargo. The watersiders in all ports have made arrangements to picket the wharves. Demonstration in Sydney Today every available police officer was rushed to the scene when nearly 2000 wharf labourers demonstrated through Sydney streets. It was one of the biggest demonstrations for many years. All police leave may be cancelled for the duration of the strike, as further demonstrations are feared.

The demonstrators, singing, shouting, and stamping, “invaded” the office of the “Daily Telegraph,” one of the city’s two morning papers. Swarming into the main front entrance, they brushed aside protesting employees and within minutes had spread throughout the five floors of the building. Urgent police radio messages brought cars and truckloads of uniformed and plainclothes men who cleared the intruders from the building. They then marched in the direction of the Sydney “Morning Herald.”

At several stages, the demonstrators became menacing and it looked as if a riot would break out. However, the police again moved swiftly and the crowd was eventually dispersed. The Waterside Workers’ Federation will take more than 1000 watersiders to Canberra in private cars tomorrow because no buses can be obtained. The assistant general secretary (Mr E. Roach) said today that more than 100 cars had already been offered. Hie men will march on Parliament House, Canberra, tomorrow, when the debate on the new bill is resumed. Canberra police will reinforce the guards at Parliament House. In accordance with practice, only the men’s leaders will be admitted to the King’s Hall to interview members. Effects of Strike So far the wharf tie-up has had this effect on trade: Shipping: Cargo worth £1,000,000 is lying idle in 150 ships in 60 ports. Wool: Sales have been cancelled in Sydney and Melbourne and will be cancelled in other centres if the strike continues. Meat: Slaughtering may be curtailed next week when cold stores reach saturation point. Sugar: Stocks are piling up on North Queensland wharves. The employers claim that the strike is costing the industry £BOO an hour. Coal: The backing of shipments at Newcastle has made five mines idle. Steel: There is 75,000 tons shipped at Port Kembla. Stocks are banking up at Newcastle and Whyalla (South Australia).

Newspapers: All four daily nevuspapers in Sydney have reduced their size and pegged circulation to conserve newsprint stocks.