LABOUR UNREST.

Otago Witness, Issue 3384, 22 January 1919, Page 44

LABOUR UNREST.

TRADES UNION PRIVILEGES. (By Cable.) LONDON, January 15. The Government has drafted a Bill for restoring the trade union customs and rules which woro suspended during the war. These- will be restored at the request of the trade union concerned, with the full force of Government uuthority. Following on the railwaymen's example, it is reported that there is a general movement among skilled trades unions to exclude non-unionists from their industries. DEMANDS BY MINERS' FEDERATION. The Miners' Federation Conference decided to demand 20 per cent, advance in wages, and that the existing war advances be continued. The Miners' Conference at Southport is discussing a lengthy resolution dealing with after-war employment problems, including a proposal for a six-hour day instead of eight. The Miner's Conference resolved to send an ultimatum to the Government demanding legislation for the demobilisation and reinstatement of all miners with full pay for all men regardless of capacity, and a six-hours' day; otherwise they would strike. The conference further demanded the nationalisation of the mines. The miners, at their conference at Southport, endorsed their executive's demand for a 30 per cent, increase in wages. The Miners' Federation passed a resolution at Stockport demanding that mines, railways, and shipping be retained under State control. It is estimated that the concessions demanded by the Miner's' Conference would increase the price of coal to £3 5s per ton. SEAMEN AND FIREMEN'S CONFERENCE. The Seamen and Firemen's Union has summoned an international conference in London for February 24 to consider the holding-up of foodstuffs bound to enemy countries. Mr Havelock Wilson, M.P., in the course of an interview, stated that he hoped that Australia, Canada, and New Zealand would be represented, as well as America and the European Allied and neutral countries. If the conference adopted the British section's resolution, copies ot which had been sent to Mr Lloyd George, President Wilson, and M. Clemenceau, the problem of revictualling enemy countries would not be easy, for the union intended to stop all ships for enemy ports. The total claims for compensation for neutral and Allied seamen murdered by the Germans amounted to £10,000,000. INTERNATIONAL LABOUR. AND SOCIALIST CONFERENCE. Mr Sexton has withdrawn from nomination to the Lausanne Conference, making the fifth M.P. delegate who has withdrawn out of six appointed. The Labour and Socialist Conference will open at Berne on the 21st inst., and German, delegates will attend, while simultaneously an International Trades Union Congress will assemble at Berne. Both conferences will keep in touch with each other. Mr Henderson has arrived in Paris and will attend both. He expects to devise means to submit the findings to the Peace Conference. It is understood that he is negotiating with the Peace Conference delegates to that end. Mr Henderson hopes to be of service in helping to solve the Russian problem. American Labour has not yet decided to participate. The United Press correspondent at Paris interviewed Mr A. Henderson en route to Berne to attend the International Labour Socialist Congress on January 27. He said the British Government tacitly supported the proposal that German and Russian delegates be admitted to the congress. The Allied Labourites had drawn up a programme which they would submit to representatives from the Teutonic and neutral Powers. It Avas hoped that America would be represented, but Mr Gompers had.not yet expressed his intentions. ONE BIG UNION. The conference of Interstate industrial representatives, meeting in Melbourne, has adopted the preamble of the "One Big Union" scheme. The conference decided that a Workers' Industrial Union of Australia be formed, such union to be classified in six departments, each consisting of as many divisions as may be necessary to meet industrial requirements. The subdivisions will consist of workers engaged in kindred occupation. It is expected that the scheme will involve an expenditure in New South Wales alone of £83,150 yearly. The "One Big Union" Conference decided to embrace e the police and firefighters in the Sub-department of Public Safety. The classification of unions into departments has been completed. The One Big Union. Conference elected a council to supervise the launching of a scheme. It was decided to publish an official organ. The conference resolved to cable to tbe New Zealand Prime Minister emphatically protesting against the incarceration of Mr Webb and other Labourites, and requesting their early release. PREFERENCE TO RETURNED SOLDIERS. A special meeting of the New South Wales Cabinet discussed the recent request, put forward by a returned soldiers' deputation, for preference of employment. Cabinet decided to amend the Industrial Act to provide for this wherever practicable. Kl the same time, the Government considers itself absolutely bound to place on

a similar footing loyalists who came to its assistance during the great strike. UNION WRECKERS. The Sydney Waterside Workers' Federation passed a motion viewing with alarm tne steady inroad of "union wreckers" on the waterfront, and asking the seamen to come to the rescue of the waterside workers as brothers-in-arms; further, that the seamen be requested to notify their brothers in England that all steamers sailing from Sydney have been loaded by non-unionists, and that their cargoes are "black." WORK FOR RETURNED SOLDIERS. Speaking at a Labour deputation to the Premier of Westralia, M. M'Callum, the Labour Federation secretary, urged the Government to prepare a programme of public works, as in a year there would be 20,000 returned soldiers in West Australia, half of whom would be unemployed. He said that he did not desire to see happening in Australia what was happening in Russia, but if a bloody revolution were desired Labour leaders need only allow the Government to continue its present policy of inaction. FINED FOR STRIKING. Seven members of the Perth Tramway Union were fined £5 each for striking, and the union was fined £25 for having instigated the strike.