BRISBANE STRIKE ENDED.

Colonist, Volume LIV, Issue 13359, 7 March 1912, Page 3

BRISBANE STRIKE ENDED.

ANNOUNCEMENT 11Y MR COYNE

(Received March 6, 9.50 p.m.)

Brisbane, March 6. ■ Tho strike committee has declared the strike off.

Mr Coyne, in officially announcing the decision, said that all trades still out, including the wharf labourers and coal miners, would resume to-morrow. The committee had been enabled to take the step because it had received an assurance from the Employers' Federation that there would be no victimisation, and also an assurance from the southern transport unions that they would stand by the Brisbane unions for six months if necessary.

The announcement was made to a large'gathering of strikers. In a later speech Mr Coyne claimed that they hadl fought probably the best industrial fight in the world's history. They had been opposed with brutal ferocity by the Press and every force of capital. It was not the strike committee's fault.that the port of Brisbane had been closed. The committee had moved to alter that state of affairs, but thn employers declined to meet them. Tho assurance from theEmployers' Federation covered most of the callings except the tramways and railways. The tramway and rail*way men who -were out would not suffer, they would bo provided for for some time to come. In order to ensure the safety of workers the strike committee would not disband because the transport workers all along the coast would come out when instructed by the committee.

Mr Coyne asked the tramway men and railway men to remain solid and not apply for work at nrcsent, as they might take a job from other unionists. They had nothing to fear as assistance was coming from all parts of tho Commonwealth and Now Zealand.

The strikers r.ill resume at ten o'clock to-morrow or as early as posr sible. There is a general belief that the strike has ended.

Tho secretary of tho-Employers' Federation expressed gratification that tho strike was off. He said he honed business would soon return to tho normal condition.