STRIKE COLLAPSES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22349, 21 February 1936, Page 11

STRIKE COLLAPSES

SEAMEN SURRENDER * VOTE AT STORMY MEETING RUSH TO OBTAIN LICENCES By Telegraph— : Press Association —Copyright (Received February CO, 9.5 p.m.) SYDNEY. Feb. 20 After one of the stormiest meetings of the Seamen's Union held in the past three months more than 3000 Sydney members by a majority of two to one to-day decided to resume work. 1 An immediate rush by men anxiouq to secure licences followed. It is stated that returning strikers will be re-employed on equal terms with volunteers. Addressing tho meeting Mr. J. Keenan, general secretary of the Australian Union, said that because of the "sabotage tactics" employed by other unions, and the failure of those*who should have assisted to give their support, the strike had been defeated. It was futile to carry on in the face of the position created. "Johnson, our former secretary, told us that in the beginning and he got booted out. What about it now?" was the cry from sections of men in the hall. A, motion was passed, which, in addition to recommending the men to return to work, expressed confidence in the leadership of Mr. Keenan and the strike committee. Mr. Keenan laid stress on the necessity for getting back to work as an organised body. At a meeting last evening Mr. Keenan attempted to have the resolution passed to return to work and, at the same time, to express continued confidence in the strike committee. That meeting favoured resuming work, but refused to carry the vote of confidence in the strike committee. Attempts were made to rush the platform and free fights broke out, culminating in complete disorder. The seamen in Sydney and Melbourne on November 26 decided to reject the recent new award given by Mr. Justice Dethridge in the Arbitration Court. Their objections included the loss of 3d an hour overtime, the failure of the Court to provide a differential rate for the rigging of gear for loading and unloading, and the loss of "clocking" time for deferred sailing. Both the Sydney and the Melbourne branches of the union decided to refuse to work under the. award, which came into operation on December 1. Working seamen, therefore, were automatically withdrawn from vessels as they reached their home ports after that date. The committee of management of the Sydney branch of the union urged that no action should be taken until the result of a plebiscite concerning the acceptance of the award became known, but this proposal was rejected by a large majority. The Federal Ministry on December 7 decided that the Transport Workers Act should be applied against the seamen on December 10, when the necessary regulations were gazetted. It became necessary then for seamen to obtain licences before they could be employed. The places of the strikers were rapidly filled by volunteers until the majority of the ships were manned.