WATERSIDE UNION CALL FOR SHORT WORK STOPPAGE

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 June 1950, Page 5

WATERSIDE UNION CALL FOR SHORT WORK STOPPAGE

SYDNEY, This Day (Rec. 10 a.m.). —The Federal executive of the Waterside Workers’ Federation has decided to call a four-hour stoppage in all Australian ports tomorrow, instead of the proposed 24-hour stoppage, as a protest over the Communist Party Dissolution Bill. Industrial observers say that pressure from the Labour Party dominated branches of the federation was responsible for relieving the pressure by Communist union leaders. The stoppage involves 23,000 watersiders in 55 ports. The purpose of the stoppage is to discuss the proposed alliance with the Seamen’s Union and the Miners’ Federation on action to be taken if the Bill’s powers are used against any member of the three unions.

The engineers, building workers and western miners will also cease work for a period tomorrow. The Miners’ Federation is discussing the stoppage today and is expected to ask the northern and southern miners to participate for a full 24 hours. The watersiders’ stoppage has not been authorised by the Stevedoring Industry Commission. Already there is some reaction among the unionists concerned, who do not want the stoppage. The mechanics at the Burwood bus depot have decided to work and other members of the Amalgamated Engineering Union have expressed dissatisfaction at the Communist direction.