British Labour Crisis

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume IX, Issue 84, 24 March 1919, Page 5

British Labour Crisis

NO SETTLEMENT REACHED EFFORTS TO AVERT THE STRIKE. Loudon, March 21. Labour’s Triple Alliance has de cided to give approval to the Government plan tor removing the railway deadlock and meanwhile requests the railwaymen to remain ar work pending the alliance’s further decision. Cabinet considers the new development on Saturday. The Miners’ Conference has adjourned till March 26 and the strike has been postponed pending further negotiations for modifications of the Commission’s report. The newspapers anticipate that the miners’ postponement of the strike foreshadows an early settlement.

The railwaymen’s decisions do not imply that negotiations have ceased. In view of the Triple Alliance's attitude the counsels of moderation are likely to prevail.

It is understood that the miners are urging a compromise of a 2. 6 advance 1 etrosnective to January 9 on a basis of six shifts and the unconditional establishment of a six-hour day in July, 192 1 . 1 . The miners. railwayißen. anil transporters conferred with members of the Cabinet and later departed for their conference, declaring the situation to be of the gravest.

It is reported that the railway-' men refused an offer of wages cost-; ing £90,000,000, annually, insisting | on £120,000,000. | The miners’ executive conferi. with Mr. Bonar Law for 90 minutes, and then adjourned till Tuesday. i March 23. I Mr. R. S. Horne, Sir A. Stanley, ! and Sir Auckland Geddes attended' the railway executive’s conference with the railwaymen, negotiating for, several hours with rm result. ■ The conference resumes «>n Sunday. Mr. J. H. Thomas. M.P.. while emphasising the gravity of the situ-, ation, points out that neither side, will leave anything undone to avert ; a strike. , I A meeting of railwaymen s dele-, gates at London to-night (22nd) re-, solved that they were not prepared' without a strike to accent- less than the lull demands contained in the national programme. The resolution comes before * mass meeting at London on Sunday. (A. and N.Z.) ; INDUSTRIAL WAR UN- I THINKABLE. j (.Received 21, 9.5 a.m.) i London, March 23. ; Mr. R. Home (Labour Minister), interviewed after the railway conference, said hi- considered the negotiations were going favourably. He cannot believe that after four years of war the country will be plunged into a new industrial war. That was unthinkable. — (A. and N. Z.)