LABOUR DISPUTE

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 25 August 1925, Page 5

LABOUR DISPUTE

OVER STOP-WORK MEETINGS,

QUEENSLAND RAILWAYS. MORE TROUBLE THREATENED. BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT (Received Aug. 2a, 11 a.m.) BRISBANE. Aug. 25. Stop-work meetings of railwavmen in the various centres of the State adopted resolutions condemning the action of the department in preventing sopwork meetings, and affirming their determination to continue stop-work tactics until the Railway Commissioner abandons his attitude. At Townsville the meeting resolved that if no solution of the trouble was found before Wednesday, to cease work on that day. J , , . The Premier (Mr Gillies) stated that the Government stood for arbitration, and there was no justification for a strike or direct action until the possibilities of arbitration were exhausted. Upon this policy the Government intended to stand. If the men desired to hold meetings they could do so during the lunch hour, or after work. It must be patent to everyone that to hold such meetings during the work„in(r hours would mean inconvenience, disorganisation and loss to the department. „ n At the compulsory conference called bv the deputy president of the Arbitration Court (Mr Webb) between the Railway Commissioner, the dismissed Vanger and the union concerned, Mr Webb said that lie ivas satisfied that the ganger had used words which would lead the Commissioner to conclude that he (the ganger) wished to be relieved of his duties as ganger, but, it, recommended that he be reinstated forthwith, the Commissioner to be at liberty to charge him with neglect or duties or any other offence of winch he deemed him guilty, and to suspend, him, if he thought fit, pending investigations by a board of inquiry.