TIMBER STRIKE

Grey River Argus, 18 April 1929, Page 5

TIMBER STRIKE

EXTENSION FORCED By The Employers (AustraJian & N.Z. Cable Assn ) tiYDNEY, April 17. Sudden developments in th,- timber strike at Sydney and Melbourne precipitated a new crisis in the dispute Timber merchants and master buildts flooded the buildings under construction with "black” timber. The unions, thereupon ,called out the carpenters and other building trade employees. Magistrate‘s Attitude NO FAIR PLAY FOR STRIKERS. (Reed. April 17 at 10 p.m.) MELBOURNE, April 17. Two timber workers, who brutally assault'd volunteers, to-day were sentenced to two months’ imprisonment. The Magistrate that strikers who hunted in packs did not deserve British fair play. SYDNEY, Apr;! 9. lu spite of the Lukin Award the Adelaide carpenters decided they shall work only 44 hours in all joinery shops and mills. When the Federal Conference of the Enghiedrivcrs’ Union opened in Adelaide the first thing that was done was to donate £250 to the timberworkers and £250 to the miners. Another letter comes from the employers condemning the attitude of the timber combine. It was written by the National Box Co , Sydney, and exposes the fight of the combine for a 48-hour week as a cloak for a pricecutting war and an attack on the firms which have refused to be dominated and dictated to by the timber combine. The National Box Co. also s 4 ates that the letter is expressing the view of several other large box com-

panies. The conference of unions involved in or likely to be involved in the timber workers’ dispute derided to recommend an increase in the levy from 1/to 2/- per week. An appeal has been sent to all unions throughout the Com l monwcalth. So far, £26,000 has been paid out in dispute pay to the Sydney timber workers. There arc now 28 Melbourne timber mills on the white list of the unions, and their activities are growing in spite of the restrictions placed on them by the Chamber of Manufactures. Many Sydney timber workers’ wives and other workers have been prosecuted for collecting the timber workers’ relief in the Domain. Coupon books have been seized from collectors. The bosses are trying to attack the locked-out men from every angle and stupidly imagine that by hitting at ‘he women folk they will weaken the fight.