Constant Union War Makes Gloomy Picture

Northern Advocate, 28 June 1946, Page 5

Constant Union War Makes Gloomy Picture

Constant war between unions and new methods of disruption devised by militant Communist-controlled workers, make even more gloomy the Australian industrial picture which at present is dominated by the coal famine and the threefold strike in Brisbane.

Such vital branches of industry as steel and machinery production, ship repairing, explosives manufacture and transport operation and maintenance are seething with discontent. The main reason for the state of chaos appears to be a tendency to disregard the rulings of the Arbitration Court in favour of direct action ox a most violent kind. New to Australia is a system termed “sniping" which employers allege has already caused trade loss of over £1,000,000. JUST WALK OUT When employees become engaged in a dispute with employers, some unions no longer trouble to call in the Arbitration Court. Key employees walk out of jobs and secure others, while the union declares the jobs black. Thus, other union membei’s avoid payment of a levy, the striking men remain self-supporting, and .the only one who suffers is the employer. This happened some months ago in the case of a Sydney firm making storage batteries with a result that the firm has been out of production since, though pickets number only six men.

It has now occurred in Sydney's largest aluminium factory, where on June 3, 16 ironworkers in the plant’s resmelt section were refused their demand for an illegal wage increase. CONTROLLING SPIRIT The men left, no application was 'made to the Arbitration Court and 150

(From C. R. Mentiplay) (Special, 11 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day

workers had to be dismissed through lack of material. Two Melbourne firms have now taken the matter before the Arbitration Court with a request that it should be dealt with under th» National Security Regulations. It is not strange that the governing union concerned in all these cases is the Ironworkers’ Union, the controlling spirit of which is the Communist-, Mr E. Thornton.

Apart from its totalitarian methods in constant war against employers, this union has attracted considerable attention by its efforts to keep reluctant branches under its control.

A long battle against attempts of explosive workers to break away and re-form their own union culminated in a strike at the Nobel explosives factory, Melbourne. WIN FOR COMMUNISTS?

Here it seems as if Communists have won a point, for the arbitration judge has declined to register the new union. The strike which threatens New Zealand and Australian mining industries may be settled on Monday in favour of Communists. The anti-Communist faction has scored a series of victories in the case of Balmain ironworker’s, Sydney, who have established their own branch and who have resisted all efforts to displace them. The Thornton faction has failed to discredit the branch legally, but has managed to expel seven Balmain antiCommunist representatives from the National Council of the Ironworkers’ Union.

As four of the expelled men are delegates to the Labour Council, another battle is imminent.

It is no wonder that the rank and file worker is changing his views as to who is the real industrial enemy.