STRIKE FEARED

Southland Times, Issue 19388, 31 October 1924, Page 5

STRIKE FEARED

GRAVE TROUBLE IMMINENT ON AUSTRALIAN WATERFRONT WEEK-END STOPPAGE FORCING SHIPOWNERS’ HANDS. (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright). (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association). SYDNEY, October 30. It is announced in shipping circles that from 7 o’clock on Saturday morning till Monday morning no work will be done by members of the Waterside Workers’ Federation on any wharf in Australia, and that stop-work meetings will be held at every port. This move is believed to be a threat to force the hands of the shipowners by striking when the Melbourne Cup Carnival is at hand. PEACE MOVEMENT. TRANSPORT CONFERENCE CALLED. MELBOURNE, October 30. A conference of representatives of the Transport Unions has been convened by the Trades Hall Industrial Disputes’ Committee, with the object of averting, if possible, the threatened strike. No definite conclusions were reached, and the conference adjourned till to-day, so that definite proposals might be made for negotiations to be opened with the Sydney shipowners before action is decided on for carrying the proposed strike into effect. COST OF LIVING. WAGES ADJUSTMENTS. SYDNEY, October 30. It is announced that the quarterly adjustment in the wages owing to a reduction in the cost of living had resulted in a reduction of 2/6 monthly in the wages of all the maritime union members, and a fall of jd per hour to 2/9| for waterside workers. COMPULSORY CONFERENCE. GALLED BY FEDERAL ARBITRATION COURT. MELBOURNE, October 30. (Received October 31, 1 a.m.). In connection with the shipping dispute and the threatened stoppage of work at the week-end, the President of the Commonwealth Arbitration Court has called a compulsory conference of the parties involved for noon to-morrow.