ANARCHIST MINORITY

Evening Star, Issue 25700, 25 January 1946, Page 5

ANARCHIST MINORITY

UNION EXTREMISTS RULE ROOST GLARING EXAMPLE IN AUSTRALIA (N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent.) SYDNEY, January 24. ' Indications that the extremists have found an entirely new interpretation of unionism are apparent in the recent disputes taking place around Sydney. In several cases now minorities in the unions have called a strike against the advice of the union, and have then proceeded to pass a vote of no-confi-dence against the members' own executive. The most glaring case so far arises in the Katoomba dispute, which originated when the firemen refused to take the ship to sea. It had been agreed between their union and the Maritime Industry Commission that, in the case of a voyage above the latitude of Cairns, 24 firemen would be carried, otherwise the complement would be 21. The voyage to New Zealai#l comes within the latter category, and, even at this season of the year, it is unlikely that high temperatures would be encountered in mid-Tasman. Yet the firemen decided they were being badly treated, and struck in consequence. They have chosen to disregard the fact that their own union was a party to the alleged harsh treatment, and that the obvious course was to allow their own union to implement the new agreement with the commission. That might have resulted in several days' alleged hardship for these men, who would have had to make the New Zealand trip with 21, but it would have settled the question in a lawful manner. A HANDY PISTOL. Instead, they seized the opportunity offered them by the fact that the ship was a relief one, destined to return people stranded in Sydney. The presence of these now homeless people aboard constitutd a handy pistol to be presented at the head of the commission and the Government. Fortunately for the preservation of dignity and control, but unfortunately for the passengers who are living uncomfortably aboard, the authorities have so far refused %o comply with the unlawful demands of the firemen.. The next example of this novel form of arbitration occurred when 140 waterside workers refused to unload the passengers' luggage after the sailing had been cancelled. The ostensible reason for this action was that _ the watersiders were sympathetic with the passengers in their plight and_ wanted to force the Government to maintain them on the ship. The action, of course, would also have the effect of strengthening the hand of the firemen, as ii was costing the Government £SOO a day to maintain the ship with its passengers alongside the wharf. The Government was quick to give a guarantee that the passengers would not be asked to leave the ship and would be provided with meals. The Minister of Shipping, Seantor W. P. Ashley, stated that it was never intended to do otherwise, as accommodation ashore was virtually impossible and the passengers' stocks' of ready money were fast giving out. The union executive then ordered the men back io work. Not only did the watersiders refuse, but 1,000 others yesterday morning joined the rebels. They passed a vote 'of no-confidence in their executive, and proceeded to elect their awn strike committee. FOUR SHIPS I'DLE. This form of anarchy in unionism must rob the unions concerned of all the power which normally rests in their constituted authority. At the same time, it places. the strikers beyond the pale of legal settlement. At the moment four snips are idle, their crews and 1,200 watersiders are out of work, 600 New Zealanders are suspended in a sort of " Mahomet's coffin " between New Zealand and Australia, and intercolonial trade, which included a vital shipment of pig iron, steel, and coke to New Zealand foundries, is suspended, all because a minority of 21 men question the decision of their union.

When nobody is penalised for refusal of duty, when wharf labourers are free to say that Dutch ships shall not be loaded with relief stores for Java, and firemen can lay_ a ship idle with impunity, an invitation is given to any insurgent group to_ defy the Government and wreak mischief on the pubic. Australia has already suffered much from the hands of industrial wreckers. In the recent power strike the Government's policy of allowing events to take their course worked out in the long run to the detriment of the Communist cause, but it also did irreparable harm to industry. • The outbreak of such irresponsible actions as have followed the Katoomba delay is an indication that the Government must take more positive action if Australia is to avoid the rule of the anarchist minority.