STRIKE EXTENDED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 1 December 1945, Page 5

STRIKE EXTENDED

MINERS IN N.S. WALES DIRECTION DISREGARDED ABOUT 27,000 MEN IDLE Sydney, Nov., 30. Disregarding the New South 1 Wales Trades and Labour Council’s direction against an extension of the steel disputes, all northern miners began a strike to-day. Fiftynine mines are idle, resulting in the loss of about 38,300 tons of coal—the greatest loss in production in any day this year. Thus even anticipating the meeting - of their own central council the miners ' have increased the number of un- ■ employed because of the Port Kembia 1 and Newcastle steel strike to about 2 27,000. ) Now involved in the disputes are all 3 Broken Hill Proprietary plants at Port 2 Kembia and Newcastle and Broken Hill Proprietary vessels in both ports. Meanwhile moderate union leaders i are mobilising their forces to meet the > threat of the extremists to precipitate t one the greatest industrial upheavals i the country has known. Victorian and f South Australia face an immediate gas . blackout as a result of the shortage of i coal. If the miners decide to cease work in sympathy with the steel- - workers, gas ana electricity underl takings in Sydney will not be able to , carry on over the Christmas period . when the miners take their holidays. DECISION OF SEAMEN’S UNIONS Sydney, Nov., 30. The Seamen’s Union decided to withI draw its members on Sunday night from ships carrying New South Wales coal and New South Wales products of Broken Hill Proprietary and Australian Iron and Steel. The Federal executive of the union, claimed that the decision will tie up half the vessels trading on the Australian coast. The general secretary of the union, Mr Elliott, said that members employed on ships which ordinarily pick up coal from Newcastle and Port Kembia for Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide woulc’ now refuse to work these vessels. Unless otherwise directed by the New South Wales Labour Council, railwaymen will be called upon to transport all commodities including coal and steel works products, on the New South Wales railways, said the State president of the Australian Railways Union, Mr L. Martin. Commenting on the seamen’s decision he said. “My union is supporting the Prime Minister 100 per cent.” The attude .of the Australian Railways Union is so’mewhat confused however, by a statement in Melbourne by the general president of the union that in any struggle between workers and Broken Hill Proprietary, the union will stand for justice for the employees. CAMPAIGN AGAINST COMMUNISTS AUSTRALIAN LABOUR PARTY Melbourne, Nov., 30. Following a meeting of the Federal executive of the Australian Labour Party. Mr F. Walsh, president of the inter-State Labour Conference, said that a campaign was to be launched against the Communist influence in the trades union. It had been decided that no member of the Labour Party in any State would be allowed to represent the party on any platform or any Labour demonstration or function at which Communists were officially represented. It is understood that the spearhead of the Labour campaign against Communists will be in New South Wales.