THE STRIKE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12760, 2 October 1919, Page 8

THE STRIKE.

THREAT BY BIG UNIONS. TO STOP AT NOTHING. TRANSPORT WORKERS' STAND. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Anstraliin and N.Z. Cable Association. ( Received October 2, 1.10 p.m.) LONDON, October 1. The latest official announcement States that the strike position continues to improve. The numbers of railway men resuming are increasing, and the normal deliveries of foodstuffs by railway Vcompanies are starting. The communique urges that food, coal and petrol' must bo strictly economised in •riew of the fact that the dislocation of traffic may continue for some time. Owing to the increased cost of production, the Food Ministry has raised all prices of meat by 2Jd per pound. The Transport Workers' Conference have issued a statement that the meeting discussed the rendering of practical lielp ;to the railwaymen. Representatives/of the folllowing unions were present:—General Workers, Postal Unions, Amalgamated Society of Engineers. Iron and Steel Trade Federation, the whole of the Printing Trades Unions and the Railway Clerks' Association. The Parliamentary Committee of the Trades' Union Conference also attended. It was decided to ask Sir J. H. Thomas and Mr Bromley, representing all grades of railwaymen, to state the After hearing them, the conference adopted a resolution that the whole delegates were convinced that the strike was purely a trades union strike for wages and conditions. After Messrs Thomas and Bromley had withdrawn, a resolution requesting an interview with the Premier was carried. The executive's announcement declared that it would stop at nothing to "defend the long established principles of trade unionism and the right to defend wages constitutionally secured. ISSUES SUMMARISED. Newspapers give prominence to issues of the strike which the bulk of the public has not yet grasped. Summarised, the issues are:—The railwaymen demand that every worker, except the firemen and drivers who have no receive as a permanent standard wage the 33s weekly which was given as a flat war wage, plus the highest rate paid before the war in the respective grades with a minimum of 60s weekly. The Government offer that the nevr rates shall be 100 per cent above pre war rates with a minimum of 40s weekly, that the difference hetween. these new rates and the present earnings shall be maintained Suntil the cost of living has fallen to 110 per cent over the pre-war figure. (When the. aforementioned wage was awarded, trie cost of living was 125 per cent above the pre-war rate. It is now 115 per cent.) That if and when the cost of living has fallen to 110 per cent, the resC due of the war wage shall still bo paid until the cost of living has remained at or below that level for three months, and even then the residue of the war wage shall not fall off in a lump but shall be readjusted, either by a sliding scale or by reference to "an independent industrial tribunal. The difference between the demand and tile offer may briefly he illustrated as follows-—The railwaymen demand that the man who received 18s weekly before the war and now receives, with the - afore-mentioned war wage, 51s -«k ' n , f " ture > - l ' ave a minimum'wage ol Ws. The Government offer the l&s man. a minimum of 40s. plus lis residue of war wage until December 31 and. thereafter until the cost of living bas appreciably and permanently falit en -„ -Then.the Us may be reduced gradually in proportion to the further fall to the cost of living. Replying to a request for a clear explanation of the Government's offer Mr Lloyd _ George telegraphed to Carl mtf that m no event, even when the cost of living falls to a pre-war level, wiil any grade ot railwaymen on ;rn BVei : a ge get less -than twice the prewar.:; wages. ... y