LABOUR DISPUTES

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 March 1922, Page 5

LABOUR DISPUTES

ENGINEERING LOCK-OUT. SETTLEMENT EFFORTS. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) •i LONDON, March 10. The engineering trade dispute has ■ undergone most dramatic developments. Early yesterday morning, the 1' masters anti men made an eleventh--3 hour attempt to avert a catastrophe, - by calling on Dr. Macnamara. The atJ tempt failed. Then a statement was f issued confirming the deadlock, and - stating a lock-out on Saturday was f inevitable. The Unions decided to issue a manifesto to the nation, setting 1 out their case. Other attempts made during the day were also abor--1 ive. Late last night Mr. Henderson con- ' ferrod with Dr. Macnamara, and after ' certain rapid negotiations a deputation of the men saw Dr. Macnamara. with the result that; a new conference of the masters ami men will be held today. The men’s manifesto has been dropped, and there is some hope the lock-out will be (lostpolled- if not averted. EMPLOYERS’ RKSOIAL. Reed. Il mm. LONDON, March 10. At to days engineering conference Sir Allen Smith told the men's representatives that the latter must accept employers’ demand regarding the managerial function in workshops before steps were taken to ■ postpone the issue of the lock out notices. ' 'llia conference broke up after two ; hours. The position is still critical. I I CONFERENCE FAILS. , Reed. noon. LONDON, March 10. Th? Engineers' Trade Union has broken off negotiations, and the lock-out notices will become effective at midnight. i ' SEAMEN’S UNIONS. . 1 f

[ LONDON, Alareh 9. - A leading official pointed out. that the British Seamen’s Union had ’ had the most amicable reciprocal arraiigeinenl with, the Australian union for many years. Aus- , tralian seamen automatically becoming members of the. British Union on arrival here, British seamen being similarly transferred when they reached Australia. It was only since the extremists had taken over control of the Australian Union that the complete harmonious reciprocity had been lessened. The 'ustralian seamen appajx'iitly based the claim permanently to man the Commonwealth new steamers on the serious unemployment among Australian seamen, but the latter was incomparable with the position here, where sixty thousand seamen were unemployed through ships being laid up. It should be remembered that the British ninon r a long period, including good and bad times, had never made similar demands with regard to the manning of any foreign ships arriving here. On the contrary, the Union always heartily welcomed into its union seamen from America., the Continent and Australasia under the world-wide reciprocal arrangement, moreover it was the British union which led the way in improving the lot of seamen throughout. the world. Air. Havelock Wilson is now attending a conference at Paris. When he returns next week, he will confer with the Common wealth Line management regarding the whole position. W< HIKING CONDITIONS. SYDNEY, Alareh 10. The Union delegates at the recent Economic Conference prepared report

r- which states that a section oi" the eni:s plovers hope to reduce wages and )f lengthen the hours of labour. Another i- section is prepared to offer the work e workers some control in tlie managev incut of an inclusty there is also a conic senses of opinion favourable to the inI traduction of an unemployment fund (?) I WAGES REDUCED. l — SYDNEY, Alareh 10. x Air. Justice Powers varied an agreement on the application of the Glass _ manufacturers, and wages were reduced t Irani £4 9s to £4 Is 6d weekly. ■>