INDUSTRIAL AFFAIRS

Otago Witness, Issue 3455, 1 June 1920, Page 22

INDUSTRIAL AFFAIRS

(By Cable.)

FRENCH STRIKES COLLAPSE

PARIS, May 21. Tho Confederation of Labour has defi nitely called off the strike. The railway workers alone show any desire to hold out.

May 23. The General Confederation of Labour has ordered the resumption of work. LONDON", May 28. According to The Times Paiis correspondent, M. Millerand (the Premier) has ordered unionist State officials to withdraw from the Labour Confederation on account of the latter's revolutionary character.-.

The Government is legislating to give State officials the right of combination, but forbidding membership of the Industrial Federation.

UNREST LN UNITED STATES. WASHINGTON, May 24. Mr S. Gompers has suggested five remedies for the present industrial unrest in the United States —namely, the immediate adjustment of wages, effective action to prevent the continued increase in the cost of living, the stoppage of all antistrike legislation, Congress immediately to consider a proposal that credit capital should be taken from the hands of private financiers, and placed in the public trust and administered on a co-operative principle, arid. Congress to provide immediately for full publicity of income tax returns. UNEMPLOYED AGITATION. ROME, May 23. There have been grave industrial troubles and ugly incidents in connection with the unemployed agitations in the north-west provinces of Garnia (between Northern Venetia and the Tyrol). Eighteen communes were seized and the red flag was hoisted. The Soviet Government lasted only one day, as heavy reinforcements of Iroops restored order. A general strike has been launched as a protest against the Carnia incident. The position is aggravated by the bellicose attitude of the railwaymen, even prisoners refusing to work and claiming an eighthour day. The newspapers view the situation apprehensively, and prge Signor Nitti to show a firm hand, declaring that the safety of Italy depends on the Government's attitude. May 25. During a student demonstration in celebration of Italy's entry into the war the police attempted to move on the demonstrators, whereupon a gang of hooligans fired revolvers on t«he police, who replied. Four members Oi the police and a civilian were killed, while two policemen and nine civilians were wounded. RIVAL LABOUR BODIES. SYDNEY, May 25. Industrial trouble is germinating between the disciples of the One Big Union and the Australian Workers' Union. Considerable jealousy exists between the rival bodies. The Workers' Union enjoys the imprimatur of the New South Wales Government, which recently accentuated the matter by threatening the dismissal of some Government employees who refused to forsake the One Big Union. The coalminers passed a resolution of protest against this action. RAND MINERS' DEMANDS. - CAPETOWN, May 24. The renewed meeting of_the Federation of Trades at Johannesburg passed a resolution demanding the nationalisation of the gold and coal mines, and threatening drastic action to enforce it unless the Government agrees within a time to be fixed. BROKEN HILL STRIKE. SYDNEY, May 26. It is officially stated that during the 12 months the Broken Hill miners have been in strike they have lost £2,000,000 in wages. Ten thousand men, with 100,000 dependents, are directly affected. INDIAN RAILWAY STRIKERS. DELHI, May 27. Railway strikers at" Bombay rioted and damaged the rails and signals and waylaid trains. The military dispersed the strikers. The number of railwaymen out on strike is 12,000. SPANISH BAKERS' STRIKE. LONDON, May 27. The Madrid Government is considering the socialisation of bread in consequence of the bakers' strike. ADVANCED LABOUR'S AIMS. LONDON, May 27._ The Congress of Co-operative Societies shelved the question of affiliating with the Labour Party. This decision is regarded as important, in view of the anxiety of the advanced Labourites to secure financial backing from the Co-operative Societies, as well as food supplies in the event of general strikes. RAILWAYMEN AND MUNITIONS. PARIS, May 28. Italian railwaymen held up a train at Turin, persisting in the contention that it contained munitions for Poland, despite the assertion of the owners of the consignments that the train was carrying only merchandise to Rumania,. The train returned to France, and will proceed to Rumania via Bavaria. LONDON, May 28. Tho National Union of Railwaymen decided to submit the Irish railwaymen's claim not to permit the transport of muni-

tions to a full meeting of the Triple Alliance.

N.S.W. RAILWAYMEN'S DEMAND

SYDNEY, May 29. With reference to the New South W T ales railwaymen's demand for double pay during the Prince's visit the Railway. Commissioners declined to promise payment beforehand, but after the visit they will be prepared to make adequate additional payment for any ascertained extra duties incurred. A deputation of railwaymen then interviewed Mr Dooly, who promised that, if the Commissioners refused to pay, he would have an amount placed on the Estimates to cover the payment. In regard to the railway policy generally, he added that the Government had submitted its desires to the Commissioners. Whether the policy of the Commissioners was going to be in keeping with the policy of the Government he was unable to say, but he would give an assurance that the policy of the Labour Party, as declared at the elections, Avas going to be carried out. AUSTRALIAN UNREST. SYDNEY, May 26. ..A mass meeting of public servants passed a resolution against Saturday work, provided that Saturday's hours are distributed over the remainder of the week. May 28. The congress of Australian Universities agreed to the Canadian proposal for an exchange of professors for a short period. Mr Wearne, Progressive Leader, has threatened not to support the New South Wales Government if it reinstates the Government railway and tram employees who struck in 1917. The Labour Secretary (Mr Carey) says that the challenge will be accepted, and that the Government will restore the rights of all victimised unionists, irrespective of the consequences. ADELAIDE, May 24. Serious railway trouble is threatened owing to the demand of the men for increased wages. If the Government refuses to grant increases a strike ballot will be taken. HOBART, May 27. A meeting of building trades employees decided in future to work only 44 hours weekly.