STRIKE IN AUSTRALIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20172, 5 February 1929, Page 9

STRIKE IN AUSTRALIA.

TIMBER TRADE DISPUTE.

LONG STRUGGLE EXPECTED.

WAR ON FREE WORKERS. LEVIES ON OTHER UNIONS. (Received February 4, 5.05 p.m.) SYDNEY. Feb. 4. The timber trade iu Australia is at a standstill to-day owing to the strike.

Members of the Timber Workers' Union presented themselves at the various mills and works this morning but were not engaged because of their refusal to work half a day on Saturday to make up a 48-hour week. Three thousand men are affected.

The officials of the union have been considering what attitude to adopt toward possible volunteer workers. One of them is reported to have said: "The only way to get at the volunteer worker is through fear. You men will have to put fear into them." He urged that no mercy should be shown to volunteer workers. Tho officials of allied unions are conferring to-day. The Sydney committee of the Timber Workers' Union is consulting the executive of tho Australian Council of Trades Unions.

At Melbourne the unions propose to finance what is expected to be a long struggle by keeping as many workers in other trades as possible in employment so that levies can be made on their full pay.

A mass meeting was hckl to-day by the men who were not engaged in the morning, to discuss plans for picketing. Tho crane drivers and enginedrivers at log mills will ceaso work to-morrow in sympathy with the mill hands. In Victoria practically all tho bush timber mills are shut down owing to the strike. At Adelaide many volunteers have been enrolled to replaco the strikers in the timber 'yards. The carters and drivers are still working.