SYDNEY TRANSPORT STRIKE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16619, 16 August 1917, Page 6

SYDNEY TRANSPORT STRIKE

EXTENSION OP THE TROUBLE

WATERSIDERS CEASE WORK.

COLLIERY DISTRICTS IDLE.

SLANT MEN' REMAIN LOYAL.

GOVERNMENT DETERMINED. The situation in New South Wales last Friday morning, according to the latest Sydney newspapers, was that the strike over the "card system" had greatly extended. On Thursday the Government again refused to withdraw the system, and repeated that the first step in any negotiations must be the return of the men to work next morning. To this proposal the strikers' committee refused to agree. During Thursday the Wharf Labourers Union held a meeting, and a resolution was carried that members should stop work until the card system was withdrawn. Throughout the colliery districts the miners were on strike. The carters decided not to handle goods from the wharves; they had also refused to transport goods for the railways. Finally the Labour Council decided to appeal to every union in Australia tor financial assistance for the strikers. The position was thus reviewed in a statement on Thursday night by the j Acting-Premier, Mr. G. W. Fuller. "A very large number of railway and tramwaymen have returned to work to-day, and the Government feels confident that as far as the railway and tramway services are concerned the etrike is over," said Mr. Fuller. "The majority of the men now seem convinced that they have been called out on a false issue. The deputation to-day clearly established that the card system had very little to do with the strike. Sensible men are beginning to see this. They realise that they have been misled, and are rapidly going back to their old positions. "With regard to the rumours as to other possible strike* —should any of these occur tho Government is prepared to meet every emergency that may arise." Strike at Day's Notice. * The strike was precipitated by the action of the executive of the 'Labour Council of New South Wales. A, meeting of the unions affected * was convened on the evening of July 31, and as a result, the executive next morning delivered an ultimatum that within 24 hours the card system be withdrawn. The Government refused to accede to this demand, and the strike began next day, August 2. _; At the outset 4600 men" downed tools" I in the Randwick and Eveleigh workshops and at some of the country depots. Punctually at nine o'clock, at a given signal, the men put down their tools and walked out of the shops. About 1100 men left the Randwick shops— centre of the trouble, , but a number of others remained at work. Nearly 3000 men ceased work at Eveleigh. The Railway Commissioners immediately announced a drastic curtailment of the railway services, practically to the time-table adopted during the coal strike last year. On the following ; day about 200 men joined the strikers, including the railway

fuelmen who load the engines with :oal at Eveleigh. : The nest development occurred : late on Saturday, when train- ,: running staffsdrivers, firemen, and cleaners, signallers, shunters, guards, and —were called out. Limited train I and tramway services 'were maintained on Sunday, but on Monday the "strikers defence committee" ordered all railway and tramway men to cease work at midnight and declared "black" all- coal in - the Railway Commissioners' service. Although this action involved ', it was estimated, 20,000 men in the strike, the commissioners on Tuesday, "August 7, maintained a tramway service "with" 6C cars, and greatly; improved the service of suburban and country trains with work :.: men who had i remained loyal to the service. A large number of men went back to work during the day, and the Government received many offered from volunteers oi assistance. On Wednesday 62 trains were , run, "■ mostly for * ; the morning and early evening business trips. The normal average is 94 trains during these times. All other but business and important mail trains were still suspended. A total of 160 trams were run, or 100 more than on the previous day. : It was then officially stated that the position on Tuesday night was that 17,348 v men in the railways and tram- ' ways services had gone on strike, while 10,819 remained at work. None of the salaried staff, numbering perhaps 20,000. ;.] had joined the strikers. Of the- wages staff j 61 per cent, ceased work.

Strikers audi Ministers. On Wednesday evening representatives of ail the large industrial organisations waited on the Government. They suggested an immediate inquiry and the withdrawal of the card system. To this the Government : unhesitatingly declined to agree. It declared that the first step towards a settlement must be the return of the men to work. A further conference was held on Thursday morning; at its conclusion the Premier announced that the Government was determined that the men must first go back to work, and after the card system nad been in operation for three months a full inquiry would be held. During Thursday, 175 tramcars were runningthe normal serv : ce is about 312 cars. This service, seemed adequate for the modified needs of the public. It was considered that Friday would mark the crisis in regard to the tramway strike, the position being determined by the number of men who accepted the Government's offer of reinstatement on that day. Discussing the railway cervices, the superintendent of lines said a large number of the railwaymen had returned to work. " We have been able to run a splendid service to-day, and to-morrow it will hi better still. And we have sent out the mail trains regularly ever since the strike started. The suburban service to-morrow during the business hours will be almost equal to normal. The first thing I had to dp was to ensure the milk supply, which is vital to the welfare of so many little ones. The next thing was to ensure the food supply for the city, and this was done. The next was to see that the country's business went on. We have succeeded in doing all these things. And if the strike is not settled, we are prepared to carry on."

SYSTEM NOT AN INNOVATION. USE THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA. A statement issued by the chief commissioner emphasises the fact that in the past the Department has used a system of recording the work done by each man. He declares that deputations from the men were repeatedly told that the. new system was simply an improved method which was absolutely necessary, simple, and, without pretending to be perfectly scientific, is sufficiently in accord with good practice as to warrant its introduction, not only for the benefit of the Department and the public, but also for the benefit of the employees. Moreover, the cards which have been introduced in the Randwick workshops are practically identical with those used in some of the most up-to-date workshops in Australasia, and in these workshops are "employed members of the Amalgamated Society of EnginOers, who are the strongest opponents to , the introduction of the system in' the Government shops in Sydney.