STRIKE TO CONTINUE

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 138, 7 December 1935, Page 9

STRIKE TO CONTINUE

AUSTRALIAN HOLD-UP

MR. LYONS REPEATS THREAT

MANNING OF VESSELS

United Press Association—*»y Electric- Telf Kr«ph—Copyrigh t - SYDNEY, December 6. By a heavy majority the Sydney seamen today decided to continue the shipping strike against the new award. A similar decision was reached at Newcastle,,but the Melbourne meeting agreed that, provided all States were of the same mind, work should be resumed and the Arbitration Court asked to vary the disputed award. The seamen at Bris, bane rejected settlement proposals. The Sydney decision is binding oa all the other State branches. The Sydney seamen also decided that two delegates from each idle ship should assist the strike committee in making arrangements for the continuance of the fight. Mr. Jacob Johnson, general secret tary of the Seamen's Union, read » letter at today's meeting from the Prime Minister, Mr. J. A. Lyons, intimating that unless the men manned the idle vessels without delay the licensing provisions of the Transport Workers Act would be applied to the seamen as a whole. ' FIGHT ON SEVERAL FKONTS. Mr. Johnson impressed on the men that they not only would have to fight the ship owners, but also the Commonwealth, and probably, too, the State Governments. He had great, difficulty m making himself heard, some interjectors declaring that the Government was only bluffing. Mr. J. Keehan, who sponsored the motion recommending the men not to return to work until the "obnoxious clauses in the award were struck out," urged that the men should also demand a shorter working week. He pointed out that the wharf labourers on Wednesday would consider the seamen's case, and as their award was coming up for revision they would probably be faced with the same troubles as the seamen. Almost unanimously the strike committee, in conjunction with the seamen's officials, was empowered to approach the owners for a conference with an offer to return to work under' the old award pending an application to the Court for a variation of the newaward. ATTEMPT TO HOLD UP MONOWAI. An attempt was made this afternoon to involve the Monowai in the strike on the ground that a portion of the Wanganella's cargo was loaded on the Monowai. The crew of the Monowai took the complaint to the master of the vessel. He assured them that the statement was not correct, and no time was lost in getting the Monowai away. She left at 4 p.m. It is reported that the Niagara is not likely to sail before tomorrow evening.

It is expected that the Federal Cabinet will meet at the weekend to d» cide its course of action.

Mr. Lyons announced in the House of Representatives that if the seamen did not return to work the Government would apply the Transport Workers Act, now operating in the case of waterside workers at several ports, and under which men seeking employment on ships would require to obtain, licences. Mr. Lyons said that should it prove necessary to apply the provisions of the Transport Workers' Act its application would.not be temporary but permanent, and seamen who refused to resume work would find themselves excluded from future employment in the Australian shipping industry. He added that the Government would not hesitate to grant permits to overseas ships to engage in both interState passenger and cargo services should the remanning of inter-State steamers prove impracticable.