IRON TRADE MEN OUT ON STRIKE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17837, 4 May 1926, Page 10

IRON TRADE MEN OUT ON STRIKE.

NO CONFERENCE YET SUGGESTED BY PARTIES.

By Telegraph.—Assn.—Copyright. Aus. and N.Z. (Table Association. SYDNEY. May 3. As anticipated, the strike of iron trades over the forty-four hours’ trouble was fairly launched this morning. When the men, who on Saturday absented themselves from work, arrived and reported for duty, they were, according to the notices previously posted at the various workshops, dismissed. The men reported upon instructions I from their unions and, expecting the j answer they received, accepted the posi- • tion quietly. In most cases they were i paid off. In some instances mutual re- | get was expressed over the position | that had arisen, both sides explaining | that they were obeying decisions reach- I ed by the controlling organisations. The situation is not yet clear. Accord- | ing to statements made by officials of the j unions involved, a considerable num- ’

ber of firms in the metropolitan area j < did not carry out their decision to dis- I miss the men. The employers are reticent regarding the forty-four hour trouble . - A statement issued this afternoon on | behalf of the Metal Traders’ Employ- , ers’ Association says that all that the employers have to say at present is . that they have registered their protest against the action of the unionists in refusing to observe the awards. It is hoped that the unions will see the folly , of their actions and listen to reason. The officials of the affected unions have been vn continuous session through-tit the day receiving reports and considering the position. Amongst other things, an official announcement was made yesterday that «rll the claims for forty-four hours lodged in the Federal Arbitration Court bv Wednesday will be dealt with next week The question of lodging such applications and other matters will be dealt with as the situation develops. On behalf of the unions, it is claimed that they have been locked ou*. According to union reports, only twentv six city and suburban firms todav dismissed their employees. They claim that a number of- others defied the Metal Traders’ Association ukase and conceded the men s claims. On the other hand, it is stated on behalf of the employers that in some shops the men defied they unions and continued to work. 1 far lucre h.»

of a conference from either side. It is impossible to give anything like a definite estimate of the number affected by the ironworkers strike. According to the Trades Hall estimate, 3000 men were discharged and 20,000 to 21.000 others will be directly ] and indirectly affected. Most of the unions have already taken steps to apply to the Federal Arbitration Court for variations of the award to secure the forty-four hour week. The Minister of Labour is keeping in , close touch with the principals of both the forty-four hours’ and the engineers’ disputes. In regard to the latter, it is stated that proposals are under consideration which may avert the cessation of work on Friday.

CAUSE OF THE TROUBLE. The cause of the present industrial trouble in New South Wales is the demand for the 44-hour week. At a meeting of representatives of all unions covered by Federal awards, it was decided to instruct members of various organisations to work only for-ty-four hours a week. It 'is officially stated that the unions are definitely opposed to reverting to the forty-eight : hour week. A committee was appointed to con- [ sider the best rpethods to be taken in I order to secure forty-eight hours’ wages [ for forty-four hours' work. | The central branch of the Australian Workers’ Union decided to ask Mr I Baddeley, Minister of Labour, to instruct Mr Piddington, Industrial Commissioner, to hold, an inquiry immediately to decide and declare a new basic wage for men and women. The secretary of the union says that the present basic wage of £4 4s is a travesty on the term “living wages.” It is pointed out that in 1920 Mr Piddington was chairman of the commission which fixed the basic wage at £5 15s, but the Government refused to accept it. Some union leaders contend that as the cost of living is now greater than in 1920, Mr Piddington, to be consistent, must fix a wage in excess of £5 15s. Experts have estimated that every shilling increase in the basic wage costs the State £1,000,000, consequently the substantial increase which the unions are demanding would act detrimentally on the Government. When an application was made on behalf of the Metal Trades Employers’ Association to the Federal Arbitration Court for a prohibition to prevent the Industrial Arbitration Commissioner of New South Wales from dealing with the applications of the State branch of the Australian Society of Engineers for an awrd in which a forty-four hours week was claimed, it was refused. \{r Justice Powers, in delivering his

judgment, said his reasons for refusing the application were inter alia, that no State. Industrial Commission at present existed, the old State Arbitration Court had expired, and he did not think it advisable at the present time to grant the application; but he gave leave to the Association to renew the application if any State Court proceeded to hear the claims of the union.