STILL 17,000 IDLE

Grey River Argus, 5 October 1945, Page 5

STILL 17,000 IDLE

N.S.W. DISCONTENT

With Industrial Conditions POWER HOUSE PROBLEM SYDNEY. Oct. 4 Unless the Federal Government intervenes to prevent the engagement of “free” labour at. Bunnerong power house, the State Union leaders will attempt to extend the strike until industry throughout the Commonwealth is brought to a standstill. This decision was reached after Mr. Nolan had announced his intention of engaging returned servicemen for Bunnerong. “This looks like a showdown,” said a prominent union official, “we are on the verge of one of the greatest, industrial upheavals Australia has ever known.”

State Union leaders said the Federal Government have been given 48 hours in which to settle the Bunnerong dispute under its wartime powers. If no settlement was forthcoming, and “free” labour entered the power house, it is stated that, union leaders would take steps to cut off all coal supplied to Bunnerong. The miners and transport workers would be asked to co-oper-ate. Every union involved would present, “a united front to the threat of free labour.”

(Rec. 9.30) SYDNEY. Oct. 4 The Labour Council officials today asked the Federal Government to intervene in the Bunnerong power house dispute now in its thirty-second day. The Acting Secretary of the New South Wales Labour Council, Hon. Mr. F. Kelly. M.L.C. said: “If the Countv Council introduces free labour at Bunnerong it will be'pulling on a fight with the Trade Union movement throughout Australia.” Meanwhile, with coal stocks at their lowest ebb for five years the Coal Commissioner, Mr. Mighell, has applied for a fifteen per cent cut on coal supplies to manufacturers as from Monday next. The cut will not. operate in shipping, railways, electricity, and gas undertakings, water and sewerage boards, food factories, and hospitals, and such other industries as are certified as absolutely essential. Twenty mines were idle in New South Wales to-day, six thousand miners being affected. The loss of output has been nearly twenty thousand tons, the greatest for months. A total of almost seventeen thousand persons were idle to-day, indicating th« seriousness of general industrial discontent.

Members of the Australasian Council of Trade Unions saw Mr. J. B. Chifley, Prime Minister, in Canberra to-day. They urged that the main reasons for general discontent, as distinct from those leading to individual stoppages, were: (1) Demands-for a forty-hour week; (2) reduced taxation; (3) the elimination of taxation on income below £300; (4) a new referendum seeking greater powers for the Federal Government, particularly for control of prices, investments, and materials. ADELAIDE, Oct. 4

All industry in’ South Australia may stop in a little more than a week if the Newcastle shipping strike is not settled, the Premier (Mr. Flayford) said. Two ships scheduled to bring coal to South Australia have been held up. The position was so acute that the Commonwealth railways had to be given 600 tons of coal from the State stocks.

MELBO'u'RNt IRANI MEN RESUMING

P.A.. MELBOURNE, Oct. 4. Accepting an offer by the Tramways Board to reinstate ten suspended men, and to introduce a six-day week within a fortnight three thousand tramway employees, ar a mass meeting this afternoon, agreed to call off the strike and resume work at midnight. This means the resumption of all-night services tonight and normal services from tomorrow morning. During the perio i of stoppage the Board lost twentythree thousand pounds revenue and the men' eight thousand pounds in wages. .