STRIKE, SITUATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26028, 17 December 1945, Page 5

STRIKE, SITUATION

END EXPECTED TO-DAY MINERS AND SEAMEN MASS MEETINGS HELD (Rec. 1C p.m.) SYDNEY, Dec. 16. The miners and seamen are expected to return to work to-morrow, but the steel workers will not resume until after the State Industrial Commission has dealt with the Ironworkers’ Union application for reregistration on Wednesday. v Mass mcetmgs of miners will be neld on the coalfields to-day, and the seamen will meet at ail main ports tomorrow. Miriers’ meetings are expected to endorse a recommendation by the Miners’ Central Council for the resumption of work. “ The miners will take their holidays from December 21 to January 7, and no request is to be made to them to forgo or postpone their holidays,” said the president of the Miners’ Federation, Mr H. Wells. The Australasian Council of Trade Unions’ Executive unanimously recommended that the resumption of work by the steel strikers should be considered by a meeting of representatives of the 19 unions involved not later than next Sunday. This decision, which was reached at a conference oetween the A.C.T.U. executive and the striking unions, indicates a move to the Left by the A.C.T.U. It has strengthened the position of the ironworkers, and implies that unless the court grants reregistration the steel works strike will continue. The Miners’ Central Council, with the approval of the A.C.T.U., has recommended to its members that no coal should be supplied from the Broken Hill Proprietary and the Australian Iron and Steel mines until the steel strike ends. This means that no coal will be mined for the steel works because a “ black ” ban is operating at all other pits. With a bell and notice, town criers roamed the coal field towns yesterday to warn the miners that aggregate meetings would be held to-day. Delegates of the Miners’ Council have arrived in the coalfields districts to urge the men to go back to work to-mor-row. Gas and electricity rationing will continue until the New Year. Some easing of restrictions may be possible, however, for Christmas Day. About 500,000 New South Wales workers will remain idle until the restrictions mf power for industry are lifted. Sydney and Newcastle are without trams this week-end. Thousands of people who attended theatres and picture shows in the city last night were stranded without transport, as buses did not replace trams until midnight. Earlier it had been announced that, buses would operate on all routes when thq trams ceased running at 2 p.m. yesterday. The huge crowds which left theatres last night had to wait an hour in the street for buses, walk home, or take taxis. Scores of people struggled for each taxi available.