SHEARERS’ STRIKE MAY SOON SPREAD

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27924, 22 March 1956, Page 13

SHEARERS’ STRIKE MAY SOON SPREAD

(Rec. 10 p.m.) SYDNEY, March 21. A new development in the shearers’ strike—the dismissal of 22 members of the Storemen and Packers’ Union for refusing to handle “black” wool—could lead to a rapid spread of the strike, even to the tying up of the disposal of all wool in Australia. The dismissals took place yesterday when storemen and packer gangs at a Brisbane wool store refused to handle 53 bales of wool, which had been shorn at the new award rates. It was the first test consignment of black wool to be submitted to wool stores since, the u 00l brokers announced last Friday their decision to put into action a plan to uohold industrial law.

The men were dismissed one by one as they refused an order to “break out’’ the wool from a trailer and deliver it into the store. More union members are likely to be involved when attempts are continued today to have the wool delivered into the store. If all storemen and packers at the store refuse to handle the consignment, the intention is to take it immediately to another broker’s store until it is either accepted into store or union members have been dismissed for refusing to obey a lawful instruction.

Members of the Australian Workers’ Union, one of the strongest unions in Australia, for 11 weeks have refused to shear at the rate of £6 19s 6d for 100 sheep fixed by the Arbitration Court and are demanding the old rate of £7 14s 3d. To overcome the ban, Queensland graziers have flown in shearers from other Australian States and New Zealand. The 11-weeks’-old strike has already cost Queensland's wool industry £BOO,OOO. Ban on N.Z. Shearers New Zealand shearers flown to Queensland to work under the new rates for shearing have been declared black. In Charleville, a sheep town

488 miles west of Brisbane, Australian Workers’ Union shearers today imposed a black ban on men shearing wool at the new reduced rates. A spokesman for shearers working under the old rates said today: “We have decided to walk out of any hotel serving beer to the new rate shearers, including New Zealanders.” A report from western Queensland today said New Zealand and Australian shearers there were living under ‘an easy truce.” The president of the Graziers’ Fed-

eral Council. Mr T. C. C. Sanger, said yesterday that the council was willing to confer with the Australian Workers’ Union if the union “genuinely” wants to settle the shearers’ strike. ’ He said that if the talks were held the Graziers’ Council would not abandon three principles:

Support of the arbitration principle. Acceptance of the awards of the * Queensland Industrial Court and the Federal Conciliation Commissioner. Removal of the union black list on A.W.U. men who have shorn at award rates.

Commenting on M»- Sanger’s offer to confer, the general secretary of the union. Mr T. Dougherty, said: “The usual practice for any person who wants to negotiate with us is to write and their proposal would be considered by the executive council —the governing body of the union. This is the only body authorised to conduct negotiations for a settlement. Sooner or later there will have to be a conference. but there won’t be any tag, such as Mr Sanger suggests. The conference might not be under the chair manship of any industrial tribunal. “Our attitude is a simple one. We will settle on the ?955 old rates. There will be no compromise settlement.” Mr Dougherty said that as far as he knew there was not one shed in New South Wales shearing at the new reduced rates.