Australian Petrol Strike Worsening

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32351, 17 July 1970, Page 13

Australian Petrol Strike Worsening

(N.Z. Press Association —Copyright)

SYDNEY, July 16.

As secret talks aimed at a settlement of Australia’s worsening petrol strike began today, the leader of one of the unions involved issued a warning that the dispute could damage the trade union- movement.

The national secretary of the Federated Ironworkers’ Association (Mr Laurence Short) said that he was disturbed at the way the strike was developing into such major proportions, and having such grave effects on the community.

Only a small number of Ironworkers’ Association members are among the 1000 maintenance men who went on strike last week for higher pay and better conditions, closing down five of Australia’s eight oil refineries. The strike has now spread to South Australia’s only refinery, at Port Stanvac, where the Amalgamated Engineering Union has placed a ban on the handling of tankers. The refinery is stili open but will be forced to close if the ban continues. In Sydney, where roadtanker drivers are also involved in the dispute, more than 80 per cent of the city’s service stations are out of petrol, and many private cars are off the road.

Government Transport officials say that public transport services are still running normally, but petrol reserves

for buses will run out next Tuesday. A number of police stations ran out of petrol today, and rationing has been introduced for all police vehicles doing non-essential work. Container Strike A strike by three unions has halted all container shipping in and out of Australia's mainland ports. The strike, which began on Tuesday, has stopped all work at shipping-container terminals and at depots where containers are handled. The strike is by members of the Federated Clerks’ Union, the Storemen and

Packers’ Union, and the Federated Engine-Drivers’ and Firemen's Association. The New South Wales secretary of the F.C.U. (Mr P. O’Toole) said today that the men wanted shift-nenalty rates similar to those paid on the waterfront for 30 years.

Container shippers had offered 25 per cent, and 50 per cent for the second and third shifts at depots, although the waterfront rates were 50 per cent and 100 per cent, he said.

Mr O’Toole added that the strikers were also seeking improvements in sick pay and in holidays.