SHIPPING STRIKE

Evening Star, Issue 22203, 4 December 1935, Page 11

SHIPPING STRIKE

THE AUSTRALIAN TROUBLE SEAMEN REJECT HEW AWARD Press Association—By Telegraph— Copyright SYDNEY, December 3. A general strike, with complete dislocation of Australian shipping, has been begun. A mass meeting of the seamen of Sydney and Melbourne today overwhelmingly rejected the new award. The- Sydney- seamen heavily defeated a motion by the general secretary, Mr Jacob Johnson, that the award should be accepted pending the holding of a plebiscite for acceptance or rejection of ‘ the award. Over 1,000 men attended a stop-work meeting in the basement of the Sydney Town Hall, and the discussion at times was extremely acrimonious. The officials are anxious for peace, and impressed upon the men that the new award had many advantages not hitherto enjoyed, but they were repeatedly howled down. Fears are now expressed that the waterside workers, whose award is due for revision, may join the seamen. The Niagara, which arrived yesterday, made a call for wharf labourers to-day, but no men responded. POSITION AT MELBOURNE OWNERS INTRODUCE VOLUNTEERS. MELBOURNE, December 3. After a discussion lasting nearly two hours the Melbourne branch of the Seamen’s Union passed a resolution rejecting the new award and directing every member of the union on ships in port immediately to give 24 hours’ notice. Members of all other ships 1 will ■ do likewise when they reach their home port. About 250 men were present, and the resolution. was carried by an overwhelming majority, despite the vigorous opposition of the Federal president, Mr W. Clarke. The shipowners are introducing volunteers, and there is a probability of the' Federal Government instituting a licensing system under the Transport Workers Act. 1 The Melbourne decision means that Tasmania, will become isolated except for the weekly service which is being provided by oversea liners under the recent amendment in the Navigation Act. ■■■■■■'■ ""' SPECIAL MEETING OF CABINET CANBERRA, December 3. The Prime Minister (Mr J. A. Lyons) convened a special Cabinet meeting this afternoon to discuss the strike, and important developments are expected this evening, action by Government CANBERRA, December 3. The Prime Minister announced in the House of Representatives to-night that the. Government would give the seamen. 48 hours to return to work, failing which it would apply the Transport Workers’ Act, which was now operating in the case of the waterside workers in several ports, under which ’ men seeking employment on ships would require to obtain licenses. STERN MEASURES THREATENED . SYDNEY, December 4. (Received December 4, at 11.5 a.m.) Mr Lyons said should it prove necessary to apply 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 oversea ships to both in interstate passenger and cargo services should the remanning of interstate steamers prove impracticable. PASSENGERS INCONVENIENCED SYDNEY, December 3. Among the passenger ships listed to sail this afternoon, but the departure of which is now indefinite, are the Wanganella, for Auckland, the Canberra, for Melbourne and Adelaide, and the Manunda for Cairns and ports. Hundreds of passengers will have to find other means’ of transport, involving serious inconvenience and loss of time and money.

Should the dispute cover the 105 vessels engaged in the coastal trade it is estimated that 4,000 seamen in addition to thousands of wharf labourers, stewards, tally clerks, and carters will be rendered idle.

The shipping companies report that at least 5,000 persons have booked for pleasure cruises and coastal trips between now and January. : The Taiping, which sailed to-day, received a permit to carry passengers to Melbourne. The Niagara has been moved from her ordinary berth to Cockatoo Dock with her cargo still aboard. ADELAIDE REJECTS AWARD ADELAIDE, December 3. A stop-work meeting of the South Australian branch of the Seamen’s Union decided to repudiate the recent award and support whatever action, is taken in Sydney

DECISION AT BRISBANE

BRISBANE, December 3. The seamen here decided to recommend immediate application to the Commonwealth Arbitration Court for. variation of the new award with respect to the obnoxious clauses, but retaining the monetary clauses, which are an improvement on past awards. WILLING TO NEGOTIATE DIRECT SYDNEY, December 3. The seamen’s resolution to-day described the court’s award as “ a vicious attack on the conditions of the men,” and instructed all members of the union to give 24 hours’ notice. The resolution also expressed the willingness of the union to negotiate direct with the shipowners on the basis of the old award for a shorter working week and upon the improvements contained in the new award. ARRANGEMENTS FDR VOLUNTEER LABOUR SYDNEY, December 4. (Received December 4, at 11.5 a.m.) Arrangements have already been made by the .James Patrick Company to man their ships with volunteer labour. The shipping strike has extended to Brisbane, where three vessels are tied up. South Australia has been drawn into the dispute, an Adelaide message saying it is ■ expected that practically all steamship services will be suspended by the end of the week.