AUSTRALIAN LABOUR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19801, 28 May 1926, Page 9

AUSTRALIAN LABOUR

METAL TRADES DISPUTES. PROMISE OP A SETTLEMENT. (Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright.) SYDNEY, May 27. (Received May 27. at 11.50 p.m.) The Metal Trades Employers’ Association at a meeting to-morrow will consider an offer by the Disputes Committee of the Trades Hall that the employers, without prejudice to the employers’ privileges under the Federal awards, should resume on terms of a 44-hours' week, to be ■worked in either five or six days as required by the employer and be paid for on the time worked only. The Disputes Committee is to give an undertaking that no demand for increased wages will be made ntil the newly constituted Federal Court deals with the matter. The restrictions on overtime and shift work are to be removed and overtime and shifts are to be worked as required by the employer. It is expected that the dispute will end tomorrow.

THE COALFIELDS TROUBLE. STRIKE LIKELY TO BE CALLED OFF. SYDNEY, May 27. (Received May 27, at 11.50 p.m.) The Federal Executive of the Enginedrivers and Firemen’s Union met to consider the coal strike. Union circles anticipate that the meeting will result in the strike being called off. Before this can he done, however, a conference will he held with the miners and an official announcement is not expected to be made before Hie week-end. A message from Melbourne states that the steamship companies have decided to discontinue the passenger services to Western Australia from Monday next unless large supplies of coal are forthcoming.