INDUSTRIAL AFFAIRS

Otago Witness, Issue 3519, 23 August 1921, Page 17

INDUSTRIAL AFFAIRS

SHEFFIELD DEMONSTRATION. LONDON, August 14. Thousands of unemployed in Sheffield demonstrated against the inadequacy of the relief measures. Thev attempted to capture the Town Hall. The police, using their truncheons freely, dispersed the crowds, which in retreating smashed windows in the adjoining streets. Renewed rioting by Communists at Sheffield lasted several hours. Mounted and foot police repeatedly charged large crowds marching to the Police Court, where 11 comrades were aopearing before the magistrate in connection with the previous outbreak. Seven fresh arrests were made. GENERAL WORKERS’ CONFERENCE. LONDON, August 18. Air J. K Clvnes, in his presidential address at Blackpool at the conference of the National Federation of General W orkers. said that recent industrial events liad tended to restore Labour’s political weapon to its proper place. “ The belief that the strike weapon can accomplish anything has receded,” he said. ‘We should not he deceived into usim* ruinous methods and physical force for obtaining a mockery of working class freedom.” Mr Clvnes added that employers, showing no mercy, had taken advantage of the workers’ helplessness when the state of the labour market had come to the aid of those who wanted to force a reduction of wages. The conference passed a. resolution protesting against the waste of money in calling out reserves and against the' Government resorting to measures of force when the strike action was threatened over purely a wage question. Mr Clvnes said the Government’s action gave any future Labour Government ample justification to apply measures of force, however ruthless, without hesitation. IRISH RAILWAY DISPUTE. LONDON, August 15. The Irish railway directors and workers have agreed to refer the present dispute, which threatened to result in a grave strike, to a tribunal on which the directors and workers will each nominate five representatives, the Lord Chancellor nominating the chairman. SHIPYARD JOINERS. LONDON. August 17. The shipyard joiners have accepted an immediate weekly cut of 6s and a further 3s in October and December. A further reduction of 3s is being considered. The employers originally demanded a reduction of 12s. Work will be resumed next week. WAGE REDUCTIONS RESENTED PARIS, August 15. The textile workers at Lille, Roubaix. and Tourcoing struck against the employers’ proposal to reduce their wages bv 40 centimes per hour, with a further reduction of 10 centimes in a few weeks' time. A few establishments are still at work. There are 1600 strikers at Lile out of 1900 employees. A STRIKE THREATENED PARIS, August 18. A meeting of trade' unionists engaged in making munitions, clothing, and'military equipment decided to refuse to give any assistance which would enable the Government of any country to make warin the future. A resolution in favour of a general strike in munition factories unless the demands of the trade unions were agreed to was carried unanimously. THE MASTER'S DAY GONE. NEW YORK, August 15. Mr Samuel Gompers (president of the American Federation of Labour), addressing the International Convention of Railwayman and Carmen at Toronto, said, "‘The world is divided into two classes—employers and employees. There are no others, and can he no others. The day of the master is gone, never to return, and we don t want it. In the meantime grit your teeth, and organise together. We don t riant a cataclysm in the United States or ' anarla. \\ e shall work out our <i ( ■ -- inv slowly, advancing epoch bv epoch and bettering ran . elves w ith the pas-iitg of tin- year-." REDI -Cl NU WAGES. NEW YORK, Augu.-t 19. The United States Steel Corporation has announce I a further reduction of wages for day labourers in the steel industry to become effective on August 29. ~Tbc reason is the prevailing low selling price of steel compared with the < o-t of production.

MINING AND SMELTING COMPANY. MELBOURNE. August 15. The Federal Arbitration Court has exempted the Wallaroo-Moonta Mining and Smelting Company of South Australia from the firemen and engine-drivers’ award for six months, unless the nriee of copper exceeds £7 7s per ton. In the interim an immediate resumption is expected as a result of the exemption. ADELAIDE, August 18. The term-s of settlement in regard to the Port Pirie smelters are that a conference is to be held between the company and the union before January to arrange for medical examination and compensation. Whoever was on the books in January, 191-9, will be eligible for employment without examination. New employees will be required to certify that they are not suffering from industrial disease, and are prepared to submit to examination. A resumption of work is expected on Thursday. A STRIKE THREATENED. SYDNEY. August 19. The Western District miners’ ladges adopted a resolution against the payment of income tax unless the exemption is raised to £3OO. In the event of the Central Council endorsing the resolution it is intended to approach all the industrial organisations in Australia to adopt a similar attitude. It is further proposed that- should any unionist he arrested or garnisheed for the non-payment of income tax. a general strike he declared until the man is released or the garnisheed money refunded. Port Darwin reports state that six prominent Labour unionists were sentenced to a months’ imprisonment for refusing to pay income tax. NEWCASTLE STEEL WORKERS. SY DNEY. August 19. Mr Keely, chairman of directors of the Newcastle Steel Works, at the annual meeting stated that owing to strikes the works were idle for 96 weeks in six vears, which was 30 per cent, of the total time.