Australian oil strike UNIONS LIABLE TO $500-A-DAY FINE

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32977, 25 July 1972, Page 13

Australian oil strike UNIONS LIABLE TO $500-A-DAY FINE

(N.Z.P. .4 -Reuter —Copy right

SYDNEY, July 24.

Australian oil companies today won the right to institute penal proceedings against the 1500 striking maintenance men who are gradually bringing the nation's industry to a standstill.

In the Commonwealth Arbitration Court. Mr Justice Moore issued the necessary certificates against the four unions involved, which could lead to each of them being fined $5OO a day.

As the strike entered its fourth week, the prospect of hundreds of thousands of workers being laid-off as industry and transport services shut down forced Mr Justice Moore to make the decision. “I would be failing in my duty if I did not issue the certificate,” he said. He added that the unions wanted another conference with the oil companies, but that, in the present circumstances. this was a waste of time.

With the certificate, the oil companies can take out summonses for breaches of the no-strike clause in the Engineering (Oil Companies) Award, which would make the unions liable to fines of up to $5OO for each strike day covered by the summonses. The jobs of more than a million workers are immediately in jeopardy, and the whole Australian work force may be immediately affected. No crude oil has reached refineries on the eastern seaboard for at least 25 days. Unless supplies resume soon, and industrial observers say this is unlikely, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland, and Tasmania face complete industrial shut-down. Some go back One encouraging feature in an otherwise grim outlook occurred in Brisbane today, when storemen and packers employed in Queensland refineries decided to return to work. The men, who distribute petrol between the refineries and delivery tankers, went out on Friday but decided to return to work when it became clear that their counterparts in New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia, were not going to join the strike.

Meanwhile, arrangements were being completed for

emergency services—hospitals, ambulance, police, fire brigades, and blood-transfu-sion centres—to be maintained. The oil maintenance men are striking over pay rise claims of up to $25 a week. Hawke’s view The president of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, Mr Robert Hawke, said last night that the companies’ refusal to meet the A.C.T.U. was “the latest example of fundamental and hypocritical behaviour.” “The oil companies are in cahoots with the Government in trying to make a spurious political issue out of union claims,” Mr Hawke said. “The A.C.T.U. acted responsibly on Friday in attempting

to obtain an immediate conference with the top management of the oil companies.”

Mr Hawke also accused the oil companies of deliberately misleading the public. "The companies tried from the outset to make the unions* 35hour week claim a prime issue.” he said. Aided and abetted by every clockwork Cabinet Minister, they created a scare issue about working hours.

“When the unions sensibly deferred consideration of this for nine months, the companies resorted to stalling tactics to frustrate moves by unions for good-faith negotiations. “The A.C.T.U. wants a resumption of work, but it is hardly surprising that the men do not want to go back in the light of the companies’ miserable record.”