GRAVE DELAYS

Greymouth Evening Star, 6 February 1947, Page 7

GRAVE DELAYS

WORK HOURS RESTRICTED SYDNEY WATERSIDERS BAN NIGHT SHIFTS REGISTRATIONS SUSPENDED (Rec. 11.35 a.m.) SYDNEY, Feb. 6. A total hold-up on the Sydney waterfront has been delayed, but not averted, by the decision of the watersiders to accept day work to-day. The unions still ban night work on cargoes, which .means that there will be grave delays in port as day shifts alone are considered inadequate. The restriction of working hours has. already seriously af- , fected the moving of essential commodities such as wool and food for Britain, primary produce, wheat, coal, sugar, and building materials. Of 6241 registered watersiders, 1270 were suspended by the port committee yesterday for refusing work at night. The suspension, however, lasts only two days, after which the. men may offer for day work. It is expected that from to-day the watersiders will accept day work but that some will be suspended for refusing night work. The men affected will return to the pool in two days. The union threatens to take further action if the suspensions are carried out. Leading industrialists believe that 85 per cent, of Australian industries wiff be brought to a standstill if all shipping and coal mines become idle. In New South Wales severe rationing of trains, trams, gas, and electric power will be necessary and more than 750,000 workers will be unemployed. „ „ M/r . , The central counciLof the Miners Federation, will state Ministers to-day that ' the council will agree to a recommendation for a nation-wide coal strike unless the Federal and State Governments guarantee the federation s demands. The federation asks that 64 amendments to the Coal Mines Regulation Act be brought down in the first session of the State Parliament this year, and that the compensation and industrial demands covering the 35hour week and wages claims be met. MOVE TO CHECKMATE THE COMMUNISTS

(Rec. 10.55 a.m.) MELBOURNE, Feb. 8. The executive of the Australasian Council of Trade Unions has decided to demand that the wage pegging regulations should be abolished in their entirety. This decision is taken as an indication that the executive will refuse to accept the policy of the Federal Government on wage pegging. The executive also decided that its determinations on industrial policy should be final and that the conference of Federal unions now sitting in Melbourne could only make recommendations. This ruling that the executive is the sole arbiter comes as a surprise to many and is interpreted as a move to checkmate the Communists who are strongly represented at the conference. MANY MORE CONCILIATION (Rec. 1.30 p.m.) CANBERRA, Feb. 6. The Federal Cabinet has proposals to amend the Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Act to provide for the appointment of a greatly increased number of conciliation commissioners who will be accorded wider powers than at present in settling industrial disputes. The commissioners will be appointed to various fields of industry and will be selected according to the qualifications required in each type of industrV« Consideration of the proposed amendments to the Arbitration Act followed a series of conferences begun by the Prime Minister, Mr Chifley, at which representatives of employers and employees discussed with a special Cabinet sub-committee the suggestions of various organisations on amendments to the Act. The draft bill has now been approved for submission to caucus.