RAILWAY STRIKE THREAT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17275, 26 September 1919, Page 8

RAILWAY STRIKE THREAT.

OUTLOOK IMPROVING.

NEGOTIATIONS RESUMED.

Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Reed. 2 am.) LONDON. Sept. 25.

The railway outlook has improved. The Cabinet has sent an explanation to the executive of the Railwaymen's Union, which is expected to lead to fresh negotiations.

The decision of the Railwaymen's Union to call a strike to-morrow was telegraphed to all branches of the union in the United Kingdom, subsequently the Cabinet proposed that the National Union of Railwaymen should confer with Sir Eric Geddes to-day. It is believed that negotiations will thus tye resumed.

GOVERNMENT ASSURANCE.

WAR WAGE NOT ABOLISHED. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Reed. 2 *.m.) LONDON, Sept. 24. Mr. J. H. Thomas, secretary of the National Union of Railwaymen, replying to the statement issued by the Board of Trade, declared that the ultimatum had been issued because the executive believed that the Government had said its last word. He was now confident that that was not so, but the Government should know that a strike was inevitable if the present offer was not improved. He added that the Government must act quickly. The executive of the Associated Society of Locomotive Men attended a meeting of the executive of the National Union of Railwaymen. The Daily Telegraph states that although j the Associated Society has its own ! agreement, it is considered likely ' that it will co-operate with the '■ National Union. j The Cabinet discussed the situa- j tion to-night for three hours. A ! Government letter marked " very ; urgent" was then delivered to the National Union,' headquarters, but Mr. J. H. Thomas had already left, nnd the letter will not be opened until to-morrow. ■, Though the contents of the Government's communication have not been disclosed, it possibly contains an explanation on the lines of an official statement issued through Mr. Marwood, who is now Economic Adviser to the Ministry for Transport. This states that apparently there has been a misunderstanding. The railwaymen seem to have assumed that the war wage would automatically be abolished at the end of the war. resulting in a loss to the men now receiving more than , tho new standard wage, but the I agreement doe* not say so. There is nothing to prevent the men trying to riise the standard wage or to secure revision of the war wage in orde* to meet the cost of living. Mr. Mirwood adds that the question of continuing or revising the war wage ; will be considered before the end of j xdtottjftftfe. this applying to other workers besides railwaymen.