MANAGER v. UNIONS

Grey River Argus, 6 October 1945, Page 5

MANAGER v. UNIONS

SYDNEY POWER STRIKE Volunteer Labour to Ee Tried THREAT OF GENERAL STRIKE. (Rec. 8.55.) SYDNEY, Oct. 5. Notices to start work have been sent to a number of ex-servicemen, who previously said thev were willing to fill jobs at the Bunnerong powerhouse. The general, manager of the County Council, Mr. Nolan, stated this to-day. Volunteer labour might commence at Bunnerong on Monday, he added. “It will mean a complete black-out at Bunnerong,” said the acting-Sec-retary of the New South Wales Labour Council, Hon. F. Kelly, M.L.C.. when told of Mr. Nolan’s announcement. “Immediately outside labour is called in, other County Council employees who have been working during the strike, keymen at Bunnerong, will be withdrawn by the Labour Council. This will mean a complete blackout. , , Earlier the union leaders appealed to the Sydney County Council over the head of its General Manager, Mr. D. J. Nolan. While the Council directs policy, Mr. Nolan at present controls staff matters, and. the handling >of the dispute is entirely in his hands. Union leaders asked the Council itself to negotiate for a settlement. To-day, Mr. Nolan fulfilled his threat to advertise for competent ex-servicemen to replace Bunnerong’s 600 strikers. If they are engaged. Union officials told the Council every effort will be made to bring about a general State-wide strike. The State Government’s attitude is that it cannot take over Bunnerong, as has been suggested, because it would still be bound by the National Security Regulations, requiring strikers to resume. Officials of the New South Wales Labour Council asked the Federal Government to intervene. The Federal Government has informed Union leaders that it cannot take specific action with regard to one electflcity undertaking in one city, but could only take over Bunnerong by nationalising the electricity supply throughout the Commonwealth, and it was not prepared to solve the Bunnerong dispute in that way. For these reasons, Union leaders say they now prefer to precipitate a general cessation of the industry and a comnlete blackout of electricity supplies in Sydney, believing that the Federal and State Governments will then be compelled to take immediate action. At a conference with the Labour Council, Mr. Nolan said the County Council had no power to grant a 40hour five-shift week with 44 hours’ pay and an additional 2s a shift for afternoon and night shifts as suggested by the Council. The only proper course was for the unions to lodge an application for a variation of the award. In reply to a! proposal that strikers be permitted to return to work on pre-strike conditions, Mr. Nolan said the only conditions for a resumption were those set down by the Industrial Commission, namely a continuous rotation shift roster on a 44-hour week basis with an allowance of 2s a shift for the afternoon and night shifts—this to apply to a limited number of employees who would be transferred from day to shift work.