SHIPS TIED UP

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22405, 12 August 1947, Page 5

SHIPS TIED UP

SYDNEY DISPUTE FOREMEN STEVEDORES ALL 'INTER-STATE CARGOES (11 a.m.) SYDNEY, Aug. 12. A strike by 30 foremen stevedores halted cargo work on most intcr-State ships in Sydney today. Eleven ships were affected when the stevedores refused to work this morning and it is expected that two more will be involved later in the day. Union officials say that the dispute may spread to other States, but that overseas ships will not be involved. The Federal conciliation commissioner. Mr. M. Stewart, will inquire into the dispute this afternoon. The strike, which is the first the foremen stevedores have ever staged in Sydney, has been called because 12 supervisors employed by the Macquarie Stevedoring Company _ Proprietary, Limited, have refused to join the Australian Foremen Stevedores’ Association. The company controls the loading and discharge of all inter-State vessels in Sydney, except those owned by the Union Steam Ship Company and the James Patrick Proprietary. The strikers are assured of the support of watersiders, shipping clerks, seamen, storemen and packers. The union alleges that the company refuses to employ any foreman stevedore as a supervising foreman unless he possesses a marine officer’s ticket and resigns from the association. The men regard the dispute as a fight for the life of the Foremen Stevedoers Association because the livelihood of members is threatened by ship’s officers coming ashore and taking supervising jobs.