PLANNED STRIKE

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32382, 22 August 1970, Page 13

PLANNED STRIKE

Gorton Is Critical (N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright ’ CANBERRA, Aug. 21. Proposals to hold a nationwide strike over the Australian Government’s Budget were an attempt to “strike at the basic roots of democracy,” the Prime Minister (Mr John Gorton), said in the Federal Parliament today. Mr Gorton said that the Governnient would do all in its power to see that any attempted disruptions did not succeed. He said that the President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (A.C.T.U.), Mr Robert Hawke, was making a “rather arrogant, basically undemocratic attempt” to call a national strike. He said Mr Hawke’s action “rides roughshod over the concept of elected members of the public coming to this House and deciding economic and other policies.” “This is a clear attempt to strike at the basic roots of democracy,” Mr Gorton said. There is some confusion in trade union ranks over exactly what protest the A.C.T.U. wants the unions to make. Some of the more militant unions have interpreted Mr Hawke’s call yesterday for brotest rallies as grounds for a strike, but other unions interpret it differently and are not as keen to strike.