STRIKE FAVOURED

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 26, 31 January 1923, Page 6

STRIKE FAVOURED

BY ALLIANCE OF LABOUR

SUBSTANTIAL MAJORITY ON

BALLOT

PROTEST AGAINST WAGE REDUCTIONS.

The ballot recaitly coiducted among the various industrial organisations which constitute the Alliance of Labour upon the question of a general strike as a protest against reductions in wages has resulted in favour of a cessation of work. Whether that decision will be put into effect will now depend upon the executive of the alliance, which has been empowered by the annual conference of the Alliance of Labour, which concluded yesterday afternoon, to act. as it thinks best.

The president of the alliance (Mr. M. J. Mack), who ia also secretary of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, in announcing to a "Post" reporter to-day the bare result of the ballot, made the following statement: — "The ballot recently conducted by the Alliance of Labour was the largest and most complete ever taken in the history of the Labour movement in New Zealand. It has resulted by a' substantial majority in favour of a cessation of work by those organisations which are affili- '■' ated with the alliance, as a direct protest against the wages reductions. This decision has been handed on to the National Executive, who will exercise their own judgment as to what ,'shall be done, in connection with the matter. One thing, lwwever, is certai.i—that the workers in affiliation with the Alliance of Labojr have signified very definitely how far they are prepared to go in protesting against the reductions that have takan -place. We are not at all surprised at this, because a very large number of men are now below the bread tine, and they cannot at the present time live within their income, apart from any further reductions that may take place. So far as the rail daymen are concerned, they, in common with the other organisations linked up with the alliance, have declared/by.a substantial majority in favour of^ a definite protest, but we are hoping that by negotiations we shall be able to avoid any industrial difficulty arising." EFFECT OF POLITICS. The effect upon the Dominion of a lengthy strike involving the powerful organisations affiliated with' the Alliance of Labour is"at once apparent, but it is thought doubtful whether, in tha light Of, the present political situation, the result of the ballot will be put into practice immediately. The number of workers who. are under the banner of the alli»nce is approximately 50,000 embracing the members of the principal industries —seamen, watersiders, drivers, miners, freezing workers, engineering workers^ storemen, and transport workers, which include the railwaymen and tramwaymen. A good deal of discontent was Occasioned-by the last wages " cut," and while there seems to be a disposition amongst many workers to accept that reduction without anything more than a verbal protest, Jhey do not appear to be content to. suffer a further

'.." cut " in,.the,.5ame, 1 .w,&y.,,.,1t is,thought in some circles, that the strike favoured bjt the majority of the alliance members will only be precipitated in the event of further w;age reductions being authorised by the Arbitration Court.