MARINE COOKS' STRIKE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19953, 23 May 1928, Page 11

MARINE COOKS' STRIKE.

STALEMATE IN AUSTRALIA. INTERVENTION RESENTED. TRADES UNIONS MAY SETTLE. OWNERS FIRM AS TO TERMS. (Received May 22, 8.55 p.m.) SYDNEY. May 22. The Federal Secretary of the Marine Cooks' Union, Mr. J. Tudehope, stated to-day that he now proposes to endeavour to convene a conference with the shipowners to discuss proposed terms for a settlement of the dispute. He strongly defended the action of the cooks yesterday in refusing mediation by the Australian and New Zealand Council of Trades Unions. Mr. Tudehope said his union did not recognise the authority of the Trades Union Council to intervene in the matter without the consent of the organisation directly concerned. His union intended to notify the owners that the Trades Union Council was acting without the authority of the cooks and that the latter were now going to attempt to arrange a conference to discuss the question of the abolition of the roster system and other terms. A message from Melbourne says that in spite of the fact that the cooks have repudiated the intervention of the Trades Union Council it is expected that the latter will endeavour to reopen negotiations with the ownersj. If the cooks' leaders continue to refuse to recognise the Council's authority that body will conclude terms of settlement with the owners and take the control of the dispute out of the hands of the cooks' leaders. At yesterday's conference in Melbourne between the council and the owners the latter stood firmly to their terms as already stated. After an hour and a hall: no settlement was reached. Hundreds of men who are opposed to the strike, are now idle and helpless. The Trades Union Council cannot obtain replies to its messages to Mr. Tudehope, who is recalcitrant and declined to allow his union to be represented at the conference with the owners. The deputy-chairman of the Commonwealth Steamship Owners' Association, Mr. Elford, says there was a full and free discussion by the conference. The owners pointed out to tne trades union representatives that the offer they had made to the cooks lacked nothing the latter had enjoyed under their suspended award. ' Mr. Jacob Johnson, secretary of the Australian Seamen's Union, who has returned to Sydney, says the members of the Trades Union Council are " a lot of bushrangers who are taking part in the dispute without the authority of the cooks, and that some Melbourne officials appear to be the willing tools of the owners." UNSEASONABLE STEIKE SUSPENSION OF AWARD. FEDERAL COURT'S PROVISION. SYDNEY, May 52. At a sitting of the Commonwealth Arbitration Court, Chief' Judge Dethridge, in dealing with the new award for the Merchant Service Guild, said that he intended to put in all future awards a clause that in the event of an unreasonable strike or lockout the award shall be suspended.