LABOUR DISPUTES.

Evening Post, Volume LXIV, Issue 141, 11 December 1902, Page 5

LABOUR DISPUTES.

THREATENED GREAT SHIPPING STRIKE. FAILURE OF THE CONFERENCE. [press association.] SYDNEY, 10th December. Although an official report of tne conference between the Shipowners' Federation and the Federated Seamen's Union has not yet been made, there is no doubt that a great strike is impending unless the seamen retire from the position their representatives have assumed. It is believed the conference has been quite abortive. The conference^ of federated steamship owners and seamen's unions met again to-day, and after a short sitting came to an abrupt sonclusion. The press was excluded, and nothing was allowed to transpire, pending the issue of an official statement, which the Secretary of the Owners' Association is now preparing. The only authentic statement has emanated from Mr. Appleton, representative of the Victorian owners, who stated that they had just parted from tlw delegates of the Seamen's Union without coming to a settlement. He 'regretted to say there seemed every prospect of a serious strike. He could only hope better counsels would prevail. Each time they met before the shipping companies had dealt with the men in a fair manner. He regretted that, in view of the present conditions of trade, the representatives of the men could not see their way to do something in return. At the termination of the conference the seamen met to discuss the situation, but they definitely refuse to say anything until after the issue of the owners' promised statement. It is reported that trouble arose through the owners wishing to enforce, owing to the depressed state of the shipping trade and .the keenness of competition, a reduction of a pound a month in wages, and that this the men refused to listen to.