LABOUR MATTERS

Southland Times, Issue 16844, 21 September 1911, Page 5

LABOUR MATTERS

SHE BAIL WAY TBOITBLES. POSITION IN IRELAND. [By Telegraph.—Press Association.—Copyright. J LONDON, September 19. A strike arose at the Great Southern terminus through two men refusing to handle timber consigned by a merchant whose employees were striking. Newspapers, including the “ Westminster Gazette,” point out the Impossibility of allowing railway men to discriminate what goods should be carried. The Executive of the Amalgamated Society of Railwayman has arrived at Dublin, and Is considering the position. A mass meeting of railway men at Dublin rpsolved not to further submit to degrading conditions, and demanded that the Amalgamated Executive should call out their British fellow-workers. Mr Rirnmer, the strike leader, states that the dispute is strictly confined to the question of the firm’s employing nonunlonlsts. Mr Fox, secretary of the Railway Drivers’ and Firemen’s Association, has formulated a scheme for the federation of railway workers’ unions. If it is accepted non-unionists will be notified that they must join within a prescribed time. Only three trains on the Great Southern line in Ireland ran to-day. Letters are greatly delayed, and mails are not sent to England. Only one-fourth the usual supply o£ butter has reached England. Prices In the Liverpool provision markets are stiffen . No further Irish supplies are expected till the strike is ended. The Amalgamated Executive, at Dublin has invited the railway managers ta co-operate with them to effect a settlement.

LATEST DETAILS. AN AWKWARD POSITION. TROOPS HEADY. LONDON, Sept. 20. Received Sept. 20, 8.45 p.m. Railwayman at Waterford demand recognition of their union as the basis of settlement. They decline to handle nonunion goods. Received Sept. 20, 10.20 p.m. Irish companies are firmly resisting the strikers’ demands and declined an Invitation to meet the Railway Servants’ Association executive. The latter thereupon resolved that unless th® companies ceased penalising men fop refusing to handle blackleg goods, they would call out all Irish railwayman. A number of men imported from Manchester to fill the Kingsbrldge strikers’places, yielded to the persuasion of pickets, with the exception of nine men, whom the police escorted. Large drafts of troops are ready for, emergencies.

Royal Engineers are engaged in driving passenger trains. Goods traffic la suspended. The' South-Eastern Is the only company which has refused to accept blackleg goods. Its service Is untouched.

Three Wexford iron founders have locked out their employees. . Another ‘firm has decided that as some of its employees joined the Transport Workers’ Union it will henceforth employ non-unionists. The price of provisions is rising. THE RAILWAY COMMISSION. LONDON, September 19. Lord Claude Hamilton attributed the failure of conciliation to the determination of the Railwayman's Society to make it a failure. For arbitration there should be a High Court Judge—a person of lower standing was not acceptable. The railway companies advocated heavy fines or Imprisonment for award break-f ers. Any scheme the Commission might devise would • not satisfy . the Unions. They were not created for the purpose of being satisfied. He saw no reason for satisfving disturbers of public order. LONDON. Sept. 20. Received Sept. 20, 8.45 p.m. Before the Royal Commission Mr Hyde, general manager of the Great Eastern railway, declared that the men’s demands were so extravagant that compliance therewith would sweep away his company’s dividends. He was opposed to recognition of unions, which, would not secure permanent peace.

STEEL VOEKEBS' STRIKE.

LONDON, September 19.

Nine hundred steelworkers at DowlaiS. Ifjive struck for an increase of wages! and recognition of the union. A SPECIAL CONSTABLE SCHEME FOR TIMES OF EMERGENCY. LONDON, September 21. Received September 22, 12.5 a.m. The Home Office has elaborated a scheme for registering special constables for emergency duties, polica • reservists to join the colours in wap time, thus giving confidence to the public in regard to protecting life and property without military aid. pension clauses for police apply to specials killed or Injured. They also receive payment for service. \ A DISPUTE SETTLED. LONDON, Sept 2®. Received Sept. 21, 12.5 a.m. The boilermakers' dispute at Lincoln has been settled on a two years’ basis, with a shilling a week advance and 2% per centum on piece rates. THE WEEELEES’ ST HIKE. SYDNEY, September 20. The Wallsend wheelers still decline to resume work. Other miners, however, are starting and the position is more hopeful. RESUMING WORK. SYDNEY, Sept. 20. Received' Sept. 20, 10.20 p.m. The Hetton colliery wheelers have rasolved to resume work on the old condltlons to-morrow. BUZLDEBS LABOURERS’ STRIKE. MELBOURNE, September 20. The trouble over the builders’ labourers’ demand for higher pay has reached a crisis. All employed on large jobs have ceased tvork. The builders labourers’ on all big city jobs have struck demanding fifteen pence an hour. Th« unionists will deal with anybody accepting loss. MERCHANT SERVICE GUILD. (Per United Press Association.) DUNEDIN. Sept. 20. Hearing of the Merchant Service Guild industrial dispute was continued to-day before the Conciliation Council, Mr P. Halley, Conciliation Commissioner presiding. A provisional agreement was arrived at on all points excepting one, which has reference to the payment of overtime to officers, this being strongly opposed by the companies’ representatives. It is stated than the provisional agreement arrived at means approximately an increase in wages of £SOOO per annum in respect of one company alone. The agreement is practically on the lines of the Am -» tralian award. The Council will continf its sitting to-morrow in connection wit the one point in dispute.