INDUSTRIAL AFFAIRS

Otago Witness, Issue 3526, 11 October 1921, Page 17

INDUSTRIAL AFFAIRS

SHIPBUILDING TRADES DISPUTE. LONDON, October 7. Negotiations between the Engineering and Shipbuilding Trade Unions and the Employers’ Federation on the question of the withdrawal of the munitions bonus of 121 per cent, for time workers and 7 j per cent, for piece workers have reached a deadlock. The employers proposed to withdraw four instalments by December 24. The unionist delegates rejected the proposal, but the employers are adamant. The cuts will be completed before Christmas. The engineers decided to take a ballot regarding the abolition of the bonus. COAL MINES CRISIS. LONDON, October 3 The South Wales Coal Owners accepted the Government’s offer of independent arbitration in regard to the wages percentage dispute. In connection with the South Wales coal mine owners' deputation to the Mines Department regarding the miners' wages percentage dispute, Sir William Plender ruled that the coal owners must surrender the net aggregate profits realised during August: also, that they- cannot carry forward deficiencies in standard profits against future surpluses. The owners ail* ticipate that the probable deficit in September will be £600,000. The position of the owners and men is of the gravest character. Coal is not in demand except at prices representing losses of six to seven shillings per ton. The present prices do not leave enough to pay even standard wages for 1921. and the workers are therefore faced with a hardship in regard to wages, the face value of which is only 10 to 20 per cent, above the level of 1914. October 4. The coal owners in North Wales are closing down all the collieries to-day, and have given notice to the workers that unless wages are rearranged and the high cost of working reduced it will be impossible to prosecute, the industry. North Wales coal mines, employing 13.000 hands, closed to-day owing to their inability to produce at a profitable price. COL I.IERIES REOPEN IXG. LONDON, October 5. Tire North Wales coal owners are reopening to day the collieries which weic closed down on Monday. SOI' IA LISM CONDEM NED. LONDON, October 3, The Catholic Federation Conference carried a resolution that Roman Catholics cannot be Socialists, and advising Roman Catholic trade unionists to refuse to pay

the parliamentary levy, also to oppose the affiliation of unions with the Labour Party- or with Socialist Internationals, on the ground that the former became a Socialist Party- in 1918. The mover pointed out that member’s were not asked to leave trade unions whose congress was not socialistic. The trade unions, he said, were being jockeyed into Socialism through affiliations with the Labour Party. FRENCH TEXTILE STRIKE. LONDON, October 4. Owing to the French textile strike, which shows no sign of ending, large German orders for wool tops, which have been placed in Roubaix during the past half-year, are being transferred to Bradford. SHEARERS' DISPUTE. MELBOURNE, October 5. During the hearing of the shearers’ dispute by the Federal Arbitration Court a representative of the Australian Workers’ Union stated that the union had decided to cancel the rule instructing a member to abide by the 44-hour week. STRIKE OF MINERS. SYDNEY, October 5. The miners at nine collieries in the Newcastle and Maitland districts have struck. In the majority- of the cases the reasons for the strike are trifling. The owners regard it as a move to reduce the present working fortnight of 11 days to nine. EIGHT HOUR DAY. SYDNEY. October 5. The weather was fine, but cold, for the eight-hour day holiday. The eight-hour mark having been passed, the workmen’s interest in the yearly- demonstration is waning, and the procession was inferior to the earlier years, but the sports gatherings were largely attended. UNIVERSAL LABOUR DAY. SYDNEY, October 7. The Labour Council decided to appeal to the unions not to participate in the ciglit-hour day celebrations, but to malts May Day a universal Labour day. LABOUR EXTREMISTS’ GOAL. SYDNEY, October 7. The Labour Council adopted a resolu lion that an appeal be made to the workers of Germany- urging them to renew their efforts to overthrow the capitalistic sys tern. The council promises to do tile same in Australia. THE 11A SIC WAGE. SYDNEY, October 9. At a special meeting of the Board of Trade the president announced that the

basic wage for adult male workers m New South Wales had been fixed at £4 2s, a reduction of 3s per week, for the ensuing year. Two members of the board dissented, one favouring the retention of the £4 6s and the other urging £4 6s. The chief factors which induced the board to declare a reduction were the consistent fall of the prices of commodities for the past 10 months in conjunction with the present business dislocation and the growing unemployment. It is also anticipated that there will be a further fall in the prices of wheat, meat, butter, and some other commodities. In view of these anticipated falls and other reasons the board recommends ■ quarterly, instead of the present yearly, review so as to meet the contingencies of the existing unsettled conditions, which it considers the present yearly- fixation m wages fails properly- to meet.