LABOUR RESTLESS AGAIN.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXVI, Issue 17571, 15 May 1919, Page 3

LABOUR RESTLESS AGAIN.

The Waterside Workers by a fairly substantial vote have rejected the employers' offer of an extra twopence per hour, and they are seeking r. j.urther conference. It was thought that this offer bringing the minimum rate up to 2s. an hour would have been accepted, but evidently the men think they can obtain more. In the event of the employers refusing to concede more there ia bound to be trouble of some sort, but it is not thought that the men will adopt a straight-out strike. Such tactics have not been favoured since 19.' 3. Sectional hold-ups may be tried, but the nun are still liable under the War Regulations if such methods arc adopted. Ft is suggested that the desire to be assured of a free run explains the anxiety of the watersiders to secure the repeal of the Regulations. Apart from the waterside dispute there is now a definite threat of trouble fro mthe railway 'engineers. The conditions offered 7to the Engineers' Association are part of a general scheme which has been accepted by the Amalgamated Society ot Railway Servants, representing the great majority of railway workers. If the Railway Department yields to the pressure of the Engineers and reopens the negotiations it is difficult to see how it can avoid giving equal consideration to the members of the A.S.R.S., who would probably not have come into line had it not been \ for the strong stand taken by the j executive council of the Society. At j the same time the Engineers' threat, backed by 93 per cent of the members, cannot be ignored when there are sections of outside Labour which would welcome a railway disturbance at the present time. |