FAILURE OF CONFERENCE

Taranaki Daily News, 23 May 1928, Page 9

FAILURE OF CONFERENCE

COOKS’ STRIKE CONTINUES OWNERS REFUSE TO BUDGE WHOSE IS RESPONSIBILITY? -—: By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyrlxht. Australian Press Association. Melbourne, May 22. The conference of the parties discussed the cooks’ strike position for an hour and a-half, but nothing in the direction of a settlement was achieved. The owners stood firmly by their terms. The unions’ committees meet to-day to discuss the outcome of the conference and to decide their next move. Meanwhile hundreds of men opposed to the strike are idle and helpless.

Tile Trades Union Council is unable to obtain replies to its messages to Mr. Tudehope, who is recalcitrant and has declined to allow his union to be represented at the conference with the shipowners.

The deputy-chairman of the Commonwealth Steamship Owners’ Association, Mr. Elford, stated that there was a full and free discussion by the conference, and the shipowners pointed out to the trades ’.inion representatives that the offer they had made to the cooks lacked nothing they enjoyed under the former award.

Mr. Jacob Johnson, secretary of the Australian Seamen’s Union, who has returned to Sydney, declared that the Council of Trade Unions were a lot of bushrangers who were taking part in the dispute without the cooks’ authority, -while some Melbourne officials appeared to be willing tools of the shipowners. UNIONS DESIRE CONFERENCE. MAY TAKE-CONTROL OF DISPUTE. Received May 22, 8.5 p.m. Sydney, May 22. Mr. Tudehope, secretary of the Marine Cooks’ Union, states that the union is now going to endeavour to convene a conference with the owners, to -discuss the proposed terms of settlement. Mr. Tudehope strongly defended the action of the cooks yesterday in refusing mediation by the Australian and New Zealand Council of Trades Unions, stating that they do not recognise the latter’s authority to intervene in the matter without the consent of the organisation directly concerned. The secretary added that the union intended to notify the owners that the Australian and New Zealand Council of Trades Unions was acting without the authority of the cooks, and that the latter were now going to attempt to arrange a conference to discuss the question of the abolition of tho roster system, together with other terms. A Melbourne message states that despite the fact that the cooks repudiated the intervention of the Australian and New Zealand Council of Trades Unions, it is expected that the council will endeavour to re-open negotiations with the owners. If the cooks’ leaders continue to refuse to recognise the council’s authority, the council will conclude terms of settlement with the owners and take the control of the dispute out of the cooks’ leaders’ hands.