WHARF LABOURERS' STRIKE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2818, 18 March 1908, Page 19

WHARF LABOURERS' STRIKE.

. SHIPPING TRADE ALMOST PARALYSED. .OVER THREE THOUSAND MEN OUT. OBJECTION TO NON- UNIONISTS. EXTENSION OF THE STRIKE PKOBABLE. SEAMEN AND CARTERS TAKE ACTION. THREE MORE UNIONS JOIN IN. SYDNEY, March 11. A serious development has taken place . Sn connection with the dispute which has existed for some time between the wharf labourers and some of the coastal companies regarding the employment of nonunionists on their wharves. 'Ah the result of a general call out the ■waterside workers announced late to-night that a ballot almcet unanimously favoured O&t handling any cargo for a company with non-unionists after midnight tonight. The position is critical,' and it is feared that the decision arrived at may involve a pieneral strike. March 12. The strike decided upon by the wharf labourers was enforced to-day. Excepting the North Coast and Illawarra Companies, which employ non-unionists, and against "itfhich th© strike is directed, practically all .tfie interstate wharves are idle., Only a few' permanent hands are working. The companies most affected are HowardSmith, HuddarJ-Parker, Union, and Adelaide Companies. The strike has almost entirely paralysed the shipping trade of the port. Over 3000 wharf labourers ceased work as a protest against the NoTth Coasf. Steam Navigation Company, Newcastle, and the Hunter River and Illawarra Companies employing non-unionists. "These three companies pay wharf labourers Is l£d per hour for day work and Is 4£d per hour for night work, ■while the other companies pay Is l£d and Is Bd. The trouble with the three companies named has existed since January, when the unionists employed by them strucir for the rates given by the interstate companies. The men have no grievances against the other companies, but they object to the charge of helping the coastal companies in their fight against th<! unionists on -strike by touching cargo winch the non-unionists have handled. A general strike was decided upon to briiijg matters to a crisis in the hope of forcing recognition of their claims. I The officials of the Wharf Labourers' Union express regret that the strike should affect the interstate companies, but they urge that it is the only method of reaching a settlement. A meeting of steamship-owners was held this morning, and subsequently representatives of the Wharf Labourers' Union met the owners, and officially, informed .them of the decision of the men. TTh© owners met again this afternoon, and discussed the situation. Throughout the day the strikers congregated along the harbour front, and in the vicinity of the wharves of the three coastal companies over which the trouble has arisen, and where work is proceeding as usual. At the other whaTves work is confined to a few permanent hands and the crews of arriving vessels. These are engaged in discharging perishable cargo and passengers' luggage, but so far they have not attempted to handle any other cargo. At *ome of the wharves the authorities have declined to receive cargo. Amongst the vessels which arrived toBay and which are held up are the Wesjkralia, the Moldavia, and the Gongala. A Strike Committee has been appointed tod the whaTves picketed. {Everything is orderly and quiet. Tho fnen express themselves determined to fight to a finish, and they claim that they lir© sure of the support of other unions. It transpires that negotiations have been |>roceedJßj)r batwa*^ the Steamsbin-ownerfi'

Association and the Wharf Labourers' Union since the commencement of the j trouble with the three coastal companies with a view to arriving at a settlement. The union offered to handle the cargo of coastal steamers if the steamers wece I worked by memers of the union receiving union rates of pay, but the coastal companies declined to accept these terms. Further negotiations failing, a ballot was decided upon by the union. It is understood that the voting was approximately 90 (? 900) for and 600 against a strike out of a membership of 3300. The secretary of the Wharf Labourers' Union stated to-night that it was possible that the trouble would extend to the whole of the States. He did not expect the strike to last long, as the entire shipping of the Commonwealth would he tied up if it did. The Newcastle wharf labourers have struck out of sympathy with the Sydney strikers. March -13. There aTe many rumours of strike developments, but both 6ides are extremely reticent. There wa6 a meeting yesterday of the Board of Conciliation, consisting of representatives of the Interstate Steamship Owners' Association and the Waterside Workers' Union. It is understood that the men asked the owners to bring pressure to beaT on a certain company by refusing it cargoes, but that this was declined. The coastal companies state that they are determined to continue working with casual and other hands. The men say they have no fear of free labour being engaged to take the place of the strikers, and assert if non-unionists or 6eamen are employed to work the cargo the Carters' and Seamen's Unions will join the strike. A* present there are 58 interstate oversea vessels in port. Amongst those affected is the Star of New Zealand, which may be able to finish loading to-day or to-morrow. The strike at Newcastle is causing much delay to many vessels. It is reported that an effort will he made to induce the coal lumpers to join. ; So far the strike has had little effect j in other States, but developments are anxiously awaited. The strike position has undergone but little change, but the evidences of a serious deadlock are more pronounced than they were yesterday. ! The principal wharves are to a large extent deserted, and practically all trade, | excepting the fruit industry, is feeling the ' pinch. The three coastal companies etill remain unaffected. | A tacit understanding exists among the casual free labourers to abide by the ' Arbitration Court award. Under the terms on which the coastal companies are working, as the men clear ' one vessel they go to the wharves of the other coastal companies and assist them. The interstate lines are employing the crews of vessels, delivery clerks, and other permanent hands to unship perishable consignments. The unionists take no objection to this procedure. Little attempt has been made so far to shift any ordinary cargo. The Huddart-Parker Company's Westralia was assisted to discharge 9000 boxss of fruit requiring immediate handling. The pickets induced a few of the permanent hand 6 to leave work, and the crew is now discharging the fruit, the consignees handling it themselves after it reaches the wharf. An indication of possible developments was given in connection with the coaling of the Suevic. The coal lumpers knocked off work, and refused to return until a number of non-unionists had been, discharged The Miowera's departure has been postponed from Saturday till 4 p.m. on Monday. The steamer Yongala, from Brisbane, resumed her voyage to Melbourne without discharging the Sydney portion of her cargo. The Japanese mail steamer Kumano Maru is in a similar predicament, and she leaves undischarged for Melbourne to- , morrow. | The arrivals to-day added several vessels to the long list which is tied up. The Strike Committee has been in conference throughout the day, and the

Steamship Owners' Association also held a meeting. Both sides have taken elaborate precautions to prevent any leakage of information. The secretary of the Wharf Labourers' Union foreshadowed important develop- I ment6 to-day, but up to a late hour they had not eventuated. I Certain negotiations are known to be lin progress, which, a report to-night states, promise- to open up the way to a settlement. Failing an early settlement, the out- ' look will be decidedly serious. March 14. | The Premier has been unofficially approached with a view to mediation in the strike, but he is unable to give an answer until the matter is brought formally before him. j Mr Hughes, the president of the Waterside Workers' Federation, informed an interviewer that certain influences were I at woTk which may result in ending the i trouble. He did not care to say more at present than that he was hopeful the thing would soon be all right. Mr Hughes further said that a cablegram had been sent to the Workers' Federation headquarters at Hamburg, with a view to giving assistance in dealing with vessels arriving at European ports if ! necessary. A meeting of the Wholesale Produce Merchants' Association resolved to appeal to the Premier to assist in securing the landing of perishable products, large quan- i tities of which will otherwise be ruined. ' One rumour that is afloat is to the effect that if the men do not quickly return to work the shipping companies intend to tie up the boats and pay off all hands. The Stevedores' Association has resolved to issue summonses against the men for breach of contract. In most cases the crews of the vessels axe assisting to handle the cargo, but on some of the GeTman-Australia line of ' steamers the crews declined. The position at Newcastle is unaltered. f Very little is doing on the wharves. ' I In Brisbane fruit and othor cargo tor j Sydney is being refused. Mr Wade" (the Premier) is acting as mediator, and has had a further conference with both sides. j The prospects of a settlement are brightening. March 15. At a mass meeting of 3000 wharf I labourers it was decided to resume work at midnight on Sunday on th.2 Interstate | and oversea vessels, but to maintain the strike over the vessels of the Illawarra, Newcastle, and North Coast companies. It was announced that the Seamen's and ■ Carters' Unions would support a strike against the three lines named, and that , notice had been given of their intention to strike. March 16. The Carters' Union, the Seamen's Union, and the Cooks and Stewards' Union have j commenced a strike against the three coastal companies. MIOWERA DELAYED. WELLINGTON, March 15. Ov.'ing to the wharf labourers' strike in Sjdney the Miowera will not lea,ve Sydney ! for Wellington before Monday, and the steamer accordingly will be due on Friday. THE REAL ISSUE. (Fjiom Oub Own Corkespondent.) WELLINGTON, March 15. Mr M'Laren, secretary of the Waterside Workers' Union here, eaye, apropos of the ' Sydney strike, that the present conflict is ostensibly on the ground that non-unionists are being brought in to work the intercolonial boats. Probably that has been said in the desire of the companies to prevent a full settlement of the iseue ac to whether intercolonial and deep-sea vessels should ' not pay the same rates to cargo workers. ] Mv M'Laren states that he ha 3 information which shows the Sydney workers' organisations to be well disciplined and numerically exceedingly strong. They have also a federation of waterside workers which embraces practically the whole of the ports of Australia, so lh.it Mr Wm. Hughes' s opinion that the present tiouble is likely , to be a .'hort and decbive etruggle ie a proper estimate of the situation. In the Addington (Christchurch) saleyards . the other day there was a freak of nature in the shape of a hairless calf. The animal was about three weeks old, and its ekin is a dark elate colour. There are a few hairs inside the ears, on tho tail, and under parts, but otherwise the skin is almost free of them. The calf is to be kept for exhibition purpose*.