INDUSTRIAL MENACE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 16 October 1922, Page 7

INDUSTRIAL MENACE.

UNREST IN AUSTRALIA

SYDNEY, Oct. 4 The menace of an industrial upheaval is looming large in Australia. The employees in the various branches of the. iron trades and "the coal miners are at the moment affected, but action by either section would lead to trouble in almost every industry in Australia. In the iron trades, the return to a 44-hour week, following upon &, decision of the Federal Court, is the cause of contention. Already several of the largest works, including the Broken Hill Proprietary's works at Newcastle, have been affected. Members of the Society of Engineers have refused to work the longer hours, and have been dismissed. This has occurred in every State. No concerted action has yet been taken to resist the return to 48 hours, but the position is acute. The Commonwealth Council of Action, which represents the trades unions of the whole of Australia, is now forhvulating a plan of action to fight the employers.

The position in the coal industry has already come to a head in New South Wales. In the South Coast mines and on the Newcastle and Maitland fields there has been a series of stoppages for trivial reasons. Generally they have been instigated by the younger employees without responsibility, who have dragged the others after them. There have been demands for the dismissal of certain officials. The principal trouble, however, is the claim of the employers for a third, reduction in wages. This has been the subject of much debate before the Coal Tribunal. The miners have now forced the position by stating their intention to give fourteen days' notice of strike. This was anticipated to a certain extent by the South coast mineowners, who, because of the refusal of the miners to work under certain conditions, have closed down the mines. Many thousands of men are affected. During the next few days the position is expected to develop seriously over the whole of the State.

In South Australia there has been trouble over the proposal of the Government to abolish the Arbitration Court and substitute conciliation boards. Huge labour demonstrations have been made against the Bill, which, on latest advices, is likely to be defeated.