AUSTRALIAN WATERSIDERS

Evening Star, Issue 19722, 24 November 1927, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN WATERSIDERS

THE .OVERTIME STRIKE NO IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. SYDNEY, November 23. (Received November 24, at 1.30 a.m). There was no important development in' tho watorsiders’ overtime strike today, beyond increased indication of the, slowing of the loading of vessels. Tho conference of shipowners held in Melbourne discussed tho position, but reached no decision, and reassembles to-morrow. It is reported from Melbourne that the watersiders do not show a desire wholeheartedly to support the executive, and the feeling appears to ho that they would like to see the strike ended. TASMANIA PERTURBED. HOBART, November 24. (Received November 24, at 11.25 a.m.) The Premier has telegraphed Mr Bruce drawing attention to the disastrous position likely to arise in Tasmania unless the watersiders’ overtime dispute is settled. He referred to the possibility of the closing of the zinc works, the serious loss to tho fruit trade, and the grave interference with the tourist traffic.

ATTEMPTS AT SETTLEMENT THREAT OF DIRECT ACTION. STATEMENT BY SHIPOWNERS. MELBOURNE. November 24. (Received November,24, at 11.20 a.m.) Tho Management Committee of the Waterside Workers’ Federation met and considered the strike situation There were no union officials present. It was decided not to take any ■ definite action to extend the trouble pending the result of the conference between the shipowners’ reprsentatives and the federation’s delegates. The latter stated that the deliberations would bo continued to-day, when it is expected that some step would bo taken with a view to a settlement of the dispute. It is understood that tho watersiders decided that if nothing was done to arrange a conference between the parties in the dispute, the threat to resort to direct action in declaring different vessels “black” would bo carried out. ■ Tho Australian and New Zealand Council of Trades Unions mwets to-day to discuss the position. Any decision reached by this body will have an important bearing on the future conduct of the strike, as the whole State Labor Councils, with the exception of Western Australia, will be represented The Oversea Representatives’ Association has issued a statement which says that the shipping interests have made every possible effort to find nn honorable way of avoiding the wide spread dislocation which the Watersiders’ Federation is hourly bringing nearer. The task is more difficult than finding a secure foothold in quicksand. The statement proceeds; “The union declares that it is deliberately crippling Australian and oversea shipping in order to obtain a hearing by the Arbitration Court, or to force the shipowners into an agreement by conference. Actually tho facts are that the federation had cvew assistance and opportunity from the court .and a friendly hearing from tho association. In both cases, its refusal to abide by the last award or to give reasonable guarantees for tho future made the proceedings a je.st. In one case the judge recognised the absurdity of making * new award when the old one is being contemptuously disregarded, and the Oversea Shipping Representatives’ Association was forced to'recognise that no agreement of any nature would bo binding for one second.” *