Undertaker Sues Isa Unionist

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30667, 5 February 1965, Page 11

Undertaker Sues Isa Unionist

(N.Z. Press AssocJatton—Copyright) MOUNT ISA, February 4. There are signs that Pat Mackie, unofficial leader of the striking Mount Isa miners, is falling out of favour with the unions. A rift between Mackie and the Queensland Trades and Labour Council seems to be widening.

Today, a writ claiming defamation of character by Mackie was taken out by Mr D. Hart, a Mount Isa funeral director. This followed an incident at Mount Isa airport as Mackie was about to leave for Brisbane and Melbourne where he is to give a television interview in Melbourne tonight. Police were told about the incident, but Chief Inspector N. W. Bauer said later that no police action would be taken against Mackie. The Sydney “Daily Telegraph" in a report from Mount Isa, suggested Mackie, who suffered three serious rebuffs yesterday, was “on the skids.” First, the Painters’ Union refused to accredit him as one of its representatives to a compulsory conference aimed at settling the 23-week-old dispute. The secretary of the union, Mr E. J. Hanson, is also secretary of the Trades and Labour Council disputes committee. “GET TOUGH” Later, the president of the council, Mr J. Egerton, told Mackie he did not want the Mount Isa mines to close. Mr Egerton said this after Mackie suggested the unions should get tough with Mount Isa Mines, Ltd. Both incidents happened at a meeting bef ore the compulsory conference was due to start. Mackie’s third setback was at the compulsory conference itself, when Queensland Industrial Commissioner, Mr H. J. Harvey, ruled that he and four colleagues could not attend. Mr Harvey ruled that only representatives of unions registered with the state industrial commission could attend. The conference lasted only eight minutes and Mr Harvey postponed it because he said union representation was not sufficient.

In spite of this, political observers say Mackie’s reinstatement by Mt. Isa Mines will be a major issue when the conference resumes. The unions are expected to stand by their demand that any return to work should follow his reinstatement. The company has indicated it will just as firmly oppose any such move.