ROCK-CHOPPERS' STRIKE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVI, Issue 108, 3 November 1908, Page 7

ROCK-CHOPPERS' STRIKE.

1 ' *m< • •— UNION SECRETARY FINED. . AN ANGRY DEMONSTRATION IN COURT. By Telegraph.— Press Association.— Copyright. SYDNEY,' 2nd November.. A strike of rock-choppers at the city (sewerage works resulted in a charge of instigating a strike being preferred, under the provisions of the Industrial Disputes Act, against the Rock Choppers' Union. Ryan, secretary of the union, was fined £30, in default six weeks' imprisonment, and Ryan declared that he Tvould go to gaol. The sentence was received with angry demonstrations by a ciowd of 200 strikers who had assembled in the courtroom. They hooted the judge and scrambled over the seats to shake hands with Ryan. The hearing of the charges against the other members of the union's executive was postponed. NEWCASTLE AND BROKEN HILL MINERS COMBINE. SYMPATHETIC ACTION. (Received November 3, 10.45 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day. The miners of Newcastle and the combined unions of Broken Hill are con- , sidcring the question of taking sympathetic action in connection with the prosecution of the Rock-choppers Executive. Fifty men employed by the Water and Sewerage Board on a iay laboui job at Willoughby struck work on the 21st October, and diew their pay at the Water and Sewerage Board office next day. The troubles which beset the Rockchoppers and Sewer Miners' Union are multifarious, and strikes over hours of labour, wages, and conditions of employment .on different works have been frequent of late. About five weeks ago the men left work at Willoughby on account of the tact that' one of the members of their union was using a certain explosive. This explosive is considered by the men doleterious to the health of those forking in the vicinity of the spot where it is being used, and some time ago an agreement was arrived at between the men and the masters that the use of this explosive should be discontinued. This member of the onion, however, expressed his willingness to use the explosive, and continued to do so in spite of the union's request that he should desist. The union accordingly fined the man £1, and called for an explanation. The fine was not paid, and no explanation was offered. A strike was accordingly dedared, and the men refused to return to work until the fine was paid, and until the member in question agreed to conform with the rules of the union. The trouble wastemporarily settled by the Water and Sewerage Board agreeing to pay the fine and giving its assurance that the ex* plosive would not again be used on tho job. The men returned to work, and the matter remained in abeyance. The fine was not paid, although no refusal to do so was received from the board. The member of the union in question, though no longer using the explosive, refused to recognise its rules. The men accordingly lefused to work beside this man, and decided not to return to work until the individual in question was removed.