“GO SLOW” STRIKE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXV, Issue 212, 7 August 1945, Page 5

“GO SLOW” STRIKE

DEFENCE BUILDING WORKS. MELBOURNE, A hr. (i. A “go slow” strike lias been ordered oil all defence jobs by the Building Trades Federation. This was announced by the secretary of the federation (Mr D. Thompson), who said the aim was to force the Government to'. give better working conditions to men in the building industry, which was losing hundreds of skilled operatives to other trades less essential but more attractive industrially.

The main complaint was the lack of continuity of the work for men in the building trades —that they frequently arrived at work to he told by employers that weather conditions made it impossible for work to go on. “Their wages arc stopped for the days they arc laid off. but the landlord still wants his rent and the butcher’s bills come in,” said Mr Thompson. “Naturally the men drift off to other industries where they can bo sure of regular pay and if this drift continues the housing problem is never going to be solved.” Instancing how the bad working conditions were adversely affecting building prospects Mr Thompson said 41 men were recently released from the Army to work in a factory manufacturing housing materials. Of these only 12 were still with the factory; the other 32 had preferred to return to the Army.