FORTY-FOUR-HOUR WEEK.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20643, 15 February 1929, Page 11

FORTY-FOUR-HOUR WEEK.

FIGHT IN/AUSTRALIA. PHASE OF TIMBER STRIKE. (From Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, February 7. Another industrial upheaval is forecasted for Australia. The Australian Council of Trades Unidns plans to develop the timber workers’ strike, now in full progress in . four of the States, into a general fight by all Federal unions for,a 44-hour week. To bring this about the Central Strike Committee of the A.C.T.XJ, has summoned an Australian wide conference of Federal unions, which is in progress as the New Zealand mail leaves. It is believed that about 8000 men are idle already as a result of the timber workers’ strike, and the number is increasing daily. ; The A.C.T.U. officials claim that if the timber workers are beaten in their protest against a return to the 48-hour week, a general attack will be made on wage standards of all unions, and that the 44-hour week, gained from the Arbitration Court after many years of expensive fighting, will be lost for years. Sentiments of this kind were expressed by the conference 1 of the Australian Workers’ Union, and it is significant that these two bodies, such deadly opponents in ail other matters, should he in agreement over one great policy matter. The A.C.T.U. departed from its usual attitude and sent to the A.W.U. an invitation to attend the All-Austra-lian conference. As part of the A.C.T.U. campaign it may be proposed that other unions related to the timber trade should cease work so as to bring the dispute to a conclusion, as soon as possible. “ In an appeal for funds issued by the Strike Committee of the A.C.T.U., which assumed control of the timber workers’ dispute, it is stated: “The fight that has been undertaken, while ostensibly confined to timber workers arising out of an Arbitration Court judgment, with attempts to force timber workers back from a 44 to a week, and the drastic wage cuts imposed by Judge Lukin, with his attempt to introduce a most pernicious system of payment by results, together with a dilution of labour sought to be brought about by dragging down skilled men to the basic wage and increasing boy labour by 100 per cent., affects all organisations., It will readily be seen that, should the timber workers fail, other organisations will soon meet similar attempts on their wages and conditions. It is only by the union movement showing that it is solidly behind the timber workers, that the employers and the Arbitration Court will be brought to realise that the Australia.ii workers are not prepared to oe forced back to conditions prevailing before unionism obtained its present strength.” As the miners are threatened with wholesale dismissals and with reductions in wages, and the watersiders ,still bear a grudge against someone for’ their recent defeat, the material is certainly here for a blaze once a match is applied.