Federal Cabinet Removes Waterside Leaders from Stevedoring Commission

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27080, 14 May 1949, Page 7

Federal Cabinet Removes Waterside Leaders from Stevedoring Commission

New Zealand Press Association—Copyright Rec. 9 p.m. CANBERRA, May 13. The Federal Cabinet has decided to cancel the appointments of Messrs J. Healy 'and E. Roach as members of the Commonwealth Stevedoring Industry Commission. Mr Healy is general secretary and Mr Roach assistant general secretary of the Waterside Workers’ Federation, which they have represented on the commission. Cabinet decided that the Federation should be asked to nominate ' two members to take their place. Both men are Communists and the Government’s action is interpreted as a further challenge to the Communist party.

Both Mr Roach and Mr Healy had previously refused to give an undertaking that they would co-operate with the main body of the commission in its decisions. The chairman of the commission, Mr Justice Kirby, demanded the undertaking after both men supported the waterfront strike last month over the imprisonment of L. J. McPhillips, assistant general secretary of the Ironworkers’ Union, for contempt of the Arbitration Court.

The bodies concerned are the Miners’ Federation, the Waterside Workers’ Federation, and the Ironworkers’ Union, all of whom were mentioned in the articles by Cecil Sharpley as members of a powerful Communist-dominated combine, which, by threats and direct action, could rule Australia economically and politically. The Mining Unions Council astounded even its avowed militants when it stated recently that: “ This union never has and never will accept arbitration as a desirable method of settling industrial disputes.” Taking its declaration of war directly to the Federal and State Governments, the council recently served on the Governments, the owners, and the Joint Coal Board claims for wage increases of 30s a week, a 35-hour week, long-service leave, and the reorganisation of the coalmining industry, including nationalisation. Unless a conference to consider these claims is held before May 19, the Miners’ 'Federation threatens to call a stop-work meeting on all coalfields not later than May 23. With many public utilities down to their last two days’ supply of coal, all Eastern Australia faces the prospect of almost immediate industrial paralysis if this threat is carried out. The Federal Government and the Australian Labour Party have replied firmly that the matter is solely one for arbitration, and that the Joint Coal Board, on which the miners have adequate representation, is the relevant authority. Labour authorities regard the denouncement of arbitration by the miners as the start of war between the militants and authority, as for once Labour has been directly challenged on its own ground. The existence of the Joint Coal Board is directly threatened.

The Minister of Shipping, Senator W. P. Ashley, said that the watersiders should give an undertaking or risk losing the “ commission and the benefits that flow from it.”

The Federal Council of the Waterside Workers’ Federation decided that such an undertaking should not be

given. Th

watersiders earlier threatened

-..e to immobilise all shipping in Australia if the Government took action in support of Mr Justice Kirby. They have gone so far as to demand the dismissal of the judge. The first Stevedoring Industry Commission was set up by the Curtin Government in 1942 under the National Security Regulations to organise and control waterside operations in Australia. The present body was constituted under legislation passed in December, 1947. With Mr Justice Kirby are delegates from ovei'seas and Australian shipping interests, and the Commonwealth, and two representatives of the watersiders. As a direct result of the actions of Communist leaders, three powerful Australian unions are in a state of upheaval which could mean the complete paralysis of Australian industry within a month, writes the NZPA special correspondent in Sydney,