1200 SHIPS TIED UP

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 September 1946, Page 8

1200 SHIPS TIED UP

SKELETON CREWS CALLED OFF ULTIMATUM BY OWNERS . NEW YORK, September, 15. The National Maritime Union has called protective skeleton crews off all Atlantic coast ships involved in the shipping strike except those with refrigeration machinery or carrying perishable cargoes. The union has also threatened to tighten the strike, which is now in its tenth day, by calling out thousands more pickets. The shipowners said they would not negotiate with the National Maritime Union until the protective crews were sent back. The union’s action is. described as unprecedented and the employers have warned coastguards that the deserted ships were in a hazardous condition, and asked the Government to act to protect them. • • A spokesman, for the Atlantic Coast owners, explained that negotiations for settlement of the shipping strike were nullified because the National Maritime Union was not prepared to reach a final agreement until claims on the Pacific Coast were settled. Atlantic Coast employers are not concerned with the Pacific Coast dispute. Settlement of the strike on the Pacific coast is at present impossible, because the owners refuse to negotiate with the Cooks’ and Stewards’ and the Firemen's Unions until the men return to wqrk. Both unions struck in sympathy with the C. 1.0. Seamen’s Union, which announced that it would continue the strike until cooks, stewards, and firemen received similar increases to those granted to American Federation of Labour seamen. The total number of ships tied up throughout America at present is 1200. From 1200 to 1400 persons who booked to sail in the Queen Mary from New York on September 25 have been informed that they will have to go to Halifax at their own expense 1o board the liner, which was diverted because of the strike. It, is the Queen Mary’s last Atlantic trip before going into dry-dock for refitting. In New Yorlj:, the special committee set up by' the Mayor (Mr W. O’Dwyer) to seek a settlement of the truck-drivers’ strike, predicted that the wheels -would begin turning on September 18 because the union leaders had unanimously agreed to the present offers to be made by two large trucking companies to a special meeting of members on September 17. The drivers will be offered 18£ cents an hour pay increase and a 40hour week instead of 44. Mr O’Dwyer’s committee considers that if the offer of the two companies is accepted by the union, other employers will be forced by competition to fall into line.