AUSTRALIAN RAILWAYS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 28 December 1925, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN RAILWAYS.

ALLEGED DISCONTENT. THREATS OF ACTION. “The railway services are seeething with discontent, and I cannot much longer restrain the men from resorting to means other than arbitration to secure their ends.” This was what the general secretary of the Australian Railways Union (Mr. R. V. Keane) toid the deputy president (Sir John Quick) in the Arbitration Court at Melbourne. He made this statement in connection with an application for an interim award for the * Australian Railways Union, whose plaint has been before the court for some time. Mr. Keane said that lie had been instructed to press strongly for an interim judgment to determine the basic wage, and to make such wage, with marginal increases for secondary grades, binding on the different respondents. He had been delayed by objections from craft organisations, but was determined to go on to the end. It was obvious that a final award could not be expected for. perhaps, another six or nine months. Discontent, said Mr. Keane, had been simmering in the service for some time, and in view of what had happened in Queensland and the increases secured hv the railway employees in that State many Victorian members were questioning the wisdom of utilising the arbitration machinery. Sir John Quick -said he was prepared to make an interim award provided that there was a satisfactory assurance that lie could do so legally. He asked the union to obtain, legal advice and the Railway Commissioners to seek advice upon the legality oi such a request. He also asked the union to draw up the form and contents of such an interim award. He declined to proceed further until legal advice was available in open court.