RAILWAY ULTIMATUM.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12755, 26 September 1919, Page 3

RAILWAY ULTIMATUM.

PROSPECTS OP BRITISH STRIKE. LONDON, September 24. The railwaymeus ultimatum leaves the Government the alternatives either to declare willingness to negotiate or make a fresh wages offer. The newspapers state that the executive is empowered to call a national strike within twenty-four hours without reference to members throughout the country. Prior to th© issue of the ultimatum Mr J. H. Thomas, socretaty of the Railwaymen s Uni on j issued a warning as to the probability of a strike, pointing oirt that the February agreement, which stabilises wages by inclusion of the war bonus until December, enabled both sides to negotiate for a now basis of standardisation- The Government fully recognised that revision must bo up*ward, and a settlement of claims from the locomotive section had already been based on this principle, but the new proposals, after half a. year’s' negotiation, reversed this policy for other grades.

ATTITUDE OF OTHER TRANSPORT WORKERS. LONDON, September 24. The raQwaymcn’s ultimatum states that the Government’s offer will ultimately mean such a serious reduction in pay of many members that it will not allow them to maintain their present standard of life. ~A conference is proceeding between Eric Geddes and Mr Lloyd George regarding the crisis. The Locomotive Engineers’ Society aud other transport workers’ organisations are unaware of the ultimatum, and are issuing no’indication that they will strike, rendering the success of the rai.way employees’ demands very doubtful.

CABINET OFFERS CONFERENCE. i LONDON, September 25. The decision to call a strike to-mor-row _ was telegraphed to all railwaymen s branches in the kingdom. Subsequently the Cabinet proposed that toe National Union of Kailwaymeu should confer with Sir Eric Geddes today. It is believed that negotiations hay© thus been resumed.

FURTHER NEGOTIATIONS. LONDON, September 24. Mr J. H Thomas, replying to the Board oi Irade statement, declared that the railway men’s ultimatum was issued because the -executive believed the Government had said its last word. He now considered that was not so, but the Government should know a strike was inevitable if the present, °sor was not improved. Mr Thomas added that the Government must act qmckiv. The executive of the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers attended a meeting of tho National Union’s executive. The “ Dally Telegraph ” mates that although tie society has its own agreement it is considered likely it will co-operate with the .National Union. .The Cabinet discussed the situation to-night for three hours. A Government letter marked “Very urgent” was then delivered at the' National Union s headquarters, bnt Mr Thomas had already left, and the letter will not be opened till to-morrow,