AUSTRALIAN LABOUR

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 February 1929, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN LABOUR

TIMBER WORKERS’ STRIKE COUNCIL REJECTS APPEAL (Australian Press Association.) (By Cable—Press Assn.—Copyright.) MELBOURNE, February 12. The Australian Trades Union Council, sitting in Melbourne to-day, replied to Mr Latham’s telegrams' appealing for peace in the timber industry. The reply discloses an uncompromising attitude towards the Federal Arbitration Court.

The reply says: “The present industrial turmoil is the result of your Government’s attack on the workers’ conditions. Your Government can cure the position as easily as it caused it, by calling off the attacks on the workers’ standards of living and on the vital forty-four hours’ principle.” Mr Latham further replied, saying : “My Government declines to accept the suggestion that the decisions of the Arbitration Court are to be accepted by the unions only when in their favour. Trade unions themselves joined in procuring the submission of the forty-four hours question to the Court. I greatly regret that you can give no better response to my appeal than to repeat discredited political catchwords. ’ ’

FREE LABOUR TEST. SYDNEY, February 13. The Timber Merchants’ Association advertised this morning for free labour for the timber mills in the metropolitan area. Preference wherever possible will be given to former employees. It is expected that this development will lead to an extension of the strike, and if the appeal is successful will inevitably hasten its collapse. CARTERS REBUFFED. MELBOURNE, February 12. An application was made by the Federated Carters’ and Drivers’ Union to withdraw their claims from the Federal Arbitration Court to-day. It was dismissed by Judge Lukin, who pointed out that no union had a right to exercise the option to withdraw its claims from the Court without the consent of the respondents. COAL INDUSTRY. LONDON, February 12. Commenting on Mr Bruce’s suggestion to the coal miners of New South Wales, the “Express” says: There is no reason why the profits of the industry should not be disclosed, if thereby industrial relations might be improved. The “Daily Telegraph” says: Such a system has existed in the coal industry here in Britain for some years, past,' without preventing the most disastrous stoppage in its history. It adds : It is the spirit operating on one side, or on both, that determines the issue of either conflict or peace, and Australia, it seems, has still to reckon with influences that have made tragic the industrial record of recent years.