LABOR UNREST

Taranaki Daily News, 31 January 1919, Page 5

LABOR UNREST

. THE POSITION ANALYSED. EPEEGT- OP DEMOBILSATIOIf. ■BOLSHEVIK METHODS. A MOSAIC OF UNFAIRNESS AXD UNXfJiA-SUN,

London, Jan. 28. Though 172,000 are striking, there are many serious symptoms of industrial Unrest. The best judges in touch with the working men opine that there is no renson for panic. The sudden strikes are principally due to the absence oi a national solution for absorbing four million men demobilising from the army and the navy. Younger workers are taking advantage of the transitional in which many industries are in a lemi-chaotie .state, to secure an increase in wages and a reduction in hours. Thoy are helped by the fact that tlio Government seem without a concrete labor policy, and appear to be waiting •to be pushed into action. But the condition is not confined to the Government. It to th<j labor world, Thus the Clyde engineers are demanding 40 hours" and Belfast 44. If the Government promised aigeneral eight hours act it would materially ease the situation.

Mr O'Grady, secretary of the Migration of General Workers, with a million members, urgca the Government to release stocks of food stored for war purpose*, also building materials for houses and adds! "I atn extremely gratified that employers generally are regarding ths industrial problems from a new standpoint Hiey admit the workers have been over worked and under paid, and show a real desire to bring about a better state of tilings." Soma of the newspapers point out that the trado union leaders are in an ignominous position owing to the unauthorised strikes, and ask why they haven't the courage to resign and emulate Mr- Thomas' example in connection with the railwaymen, which proved hignIv efll-aclous in dealing with his recalcitrant following.

London) Jan. 2S The necessity of absorbing four million dcmobili-ed men iti at tho roof, of the present trouble. A typical strike leaflet run?: "A--thousand workmen arc being demobilised daily. Over a hundred thousand winkers have been dismissed from civil employment. The only remedy is no one must work more thnn forty hours; no reduction in wages and no overtime."

The difficulties due to demobilisation arc illustrated by the case of the mines. When demobilisation took place the nvn-rs applied for work. Many substituted men were dismissed. The strikes vere commenced not against the reinstatement of the soldiers but in fasor of th'■ retention of the war time minersThe strikers demanded before anyone was dismissed that & six-hours day be conceded in connection with all mines. Tt cannot bo denied that the British industrial world is drifting into a disordered scramble, wherein the strongest unions get what they want, while the rest of the community bear the burden. The result is that the whole basis o' wage earning has become a mosaic of unfairness and unrc-nson.

The majority of the strikes nre engi'iepred by irresponsible yonng men, who have secured election to shoj> committees which carry on propaganda hitherto as«soeiatfd wifli shop stewards. The shoo committees rcghrrt Bolshevism as a policy for obtaining reform by direct methods—threats of intimation instead of parliamentary overtures. —Aus.N.Z. Cable Assu.

LABOR LEADER INTERVIEWED. London, Jan. 27. Mr. W. Adamson, interviewed on liis rp-elocticn to thp chairmanship of the Parliamentary Labor Party, said th,; new Parliament will from the beginning be much occupied with the serious proWent of industrial wrest whioh has tine" toned ' our productive power. He defended tlu miners' claim for a s>ix-liour day owing to the dangerous nature of the occupation He hoped the Government would enact it —Aus. N.Z. Cable Assu.

AUSTRALIAN SEAMEN, Sydney. Jan 30. Tin; seamen have refused to man the Eombala unless they are granted s«tilar concessions to those made bv tii-> Union Steam Ship Company. RIOTING IN' BELFAST. London, Jan. 2S. Some rioting occmred at Belfast, and the police charged the crowds-—Aus. "K 7, Cable Assn. C-ONDITONS OF EMPLOYMENT. London, Jan. 20. Mr Harnes has concluded n three' days' conference wit li British Trade Unionists' .ind Dominion representatives preparing a draft of a scheme for international regulation of conditions oi employment. The scheme, which embodies the views of British Trade Unionism, will be subnfilted to an International Commission on labor regulation.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Asm.

position at Belfast. Li nden. Jan- 27. The position at Belfast is more serious na flic public services Me increasing! y affected by the stoppage of power. There baa been more disorder. Several luiild* tags hsve be»n attacked and some looting litis taken place. including a publichouse. It ha? been noted that there U a remarkable timilnrity •'betweien the Olssgow ;iml Belfast strikes. Both go bevoml industrial disputes The mani-fe-doe-s. leaflets, and incitements resemble Bolshevism.—Ans.-N.Z,. Cable Assn.

RECKLESS OFFICIALS. REST'ONSBTLE FOR THE TROUBLES. London, .Tjn. 28. Tli<) Times' Lahfyr corre=jom s ent points out that the promoters of the most important strikes are in every instance shop stewards and reckless loeai officials, usually co-operating in origin and jpethoflq. The B-ifast stri-ki* is traceable to the instigation of the notorious rehel committee of industrialists. The Clyde extremists continue to believe it is possible 1 o stampede the Government into decisions similar to war time concessions. The executives display general inertness and should resign in favor r of bolder men if unable to check the I .shop stewards and shock tactics.—Au43ftZwOdjhi:4|M|

. pUTiiCOK MORE HOPEFUL; SEVERAL STRIKES ENDED. i REIGN-OF TERROR IN BELFAST. Received Jan. 30, 9.40 p.m. London, Jan. 28. One of the Ministry of Labor officials stated in regard to the settlement of strikes that the outlook was more hopeful. The trade union executives were making great efforts to persuade the London strikers to resume. Both employers and men held meetings to consider the possibility of negotiations. Meanwhile the strike, which hud hitherto been confined to the docks on the north aide of the river, have spread to the Surrey side, where three thousand, skilled and unskilled workers have joined the movement. A further eighteen hundred casuals, in consequence of the stoppage, were (thrown out of employment. Many food and other ships awaiting repairs are held up. Others are sailing, although painting and other repairs are uncora" pleted.

All the Thames side dry docks, engineering and repair shops are idle. The stoppage has not yet affected the stevedores and general dock workers. 1

Received Jan. 30, 10.10 p.m.

London, Jan. 28. There is better prospects of settlement on the Clyde. The men met in order to consider making an overture for negotiations.

The Manchester dockers arc still out, but negotiations are afoot, and a settlement is probable.

Eight thousand minors at Kircaldy and other Scottish collieries have resumed after a week's strike.

Six thousand are out in' South Wales, and there are 110 negotiations. The Derbyshire miners refuse to resume work until a full settlement is reached.

The Nottinghamshire men returned to the pits. Uclfast- remains the serious storm ceil tre. Correspondents describe the situation as little short of a reign of terror. A mob wrecked a large drapery establishincut last night, because it was using electric light. The police with batons dispersed the crowd. Mr. Appleton states that the Federation of Trade Unions' efforts will probably succeed in getting an' increase in the soldiers' pay to a guinea weekly.

ONE BIG UNION* Wellington, Jan. 30. _ At the conference of Labor organisation? which lias bc-en sitting here this week for tha purpose of forming a '\".itionn! Alliance of Labor," tho committee appointed to draft a biisis 0r unitv for all national unions, federations of unions, and industrial departments, nnli. nvtie.l a report providing a constitution for an alliance of nil national organisations in the industrial field, which, after minor alterations. was adopted The decisions of the conference Will be placed before the various organisations concerned as soon as possible.

JEWELLER'S PTRPH^K. Wellington. .Ten. 30.' _ A complete settlement has been arrive'! M h>- fiie Condiliation fYitnetil in the ieweliers' dispute. The hours are fixed at pnvfnent fo tie for fixed holiday*, wages CS IDs a war bi-nus of fis, an increase alio "for feir-ali? workers nnr 1 . apprentices, term of agreement two years.