ORDERED BACK.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 227, 25 September 1928, Page 7

ORDERED BACK.

WATERSIDE STRIKERS

Outside Unions Will Not Be

Dragged In.

GENERAL STOPPAGE AVOIDED. (Received 11 a.m.) MELBOURNE, this day. A conference of representatives of the maritime unions under the auspices of the Australian and New Zealand Council of Trades Unions has ordered all the strikers on the waterfront to resume work under the Beeby award. The majority of the representatives objected to the widening of the breach by dragging in outside unions simply because of the introduction of volunteer labour by the employers. The carriers' and drivers' representatives declared that they were not prepared to have their members embroiled in a general strike. All present expressed bitter resentment at the Federal Government's attempt to conscript labour by means of the recently enacted legislation placed in the hands of the Commonwealth Arbitration Court. The waterside dispute has now been left in the hands of the Australian and' New Zealand Council of Trades Unions. The shipowners have withdrawn their promise to the Waterside Federation of a conference because of the federation's inabilty to control its own members. Two men were convicted of having thrown metal at volunteer workers. One was fined £5 and the other sent to gaol for two weeks. One victim of an attack is suffering from a fractured skull. His' condition has slightly improved. The waterside workers at Sydney yesterday worked without a hitch. Large numbers attended the afternoon call for 'labour. At a meeting of the New South Wales transport group of unions it was decided strenuously to oppose the Transport Workers Bill. Plans are being made to call a Federal conference of unions to discuss ways and means. On the application of the Shipowners' Association Mr. Justice Dethridge, of the Federal Arbitration Court, at a sitting in Melbourne suspended the preference clause of the Waterside Workers' Federation's Award in the ports where unionists have refused to work. However, his Honor refused the suspension in those ports where members of the federation are still working. The suspension, therefore, applies to Fremantle, Adelaide, Port Kembla, Newcastle, Brisbane, Mackay, Bowen and Port Phillip. The judge deferred v his decision in the case of ports where the position of members is in doubt. He refused to vary the award, stating that Mr. Justice Beeby could later consider any application for a variation. Five oversea vessels are now being worked at Melbourne with volunteer labour. The volunteers are taken to the docks in motor cars under police protection. No trouble has been experienced. Inter-State vessels are being worked as usual by unionists. At Newcastle the loading of the steamer Poolta, which is en route to New Zealand via north coast ports, was finished by volunteer labour. Unionists are still working one steamer. The most important development of the strike position at Brisbane is the decision by the seamen to supply steam for free labourers, while 100 carters are handling goods unloaded by free labour. BOWEN TROUBLE. i RAILWAYMEN AND THE STRIKE BRISBANE, September 24. Following upon the dismissal of 11 railwaymen at Bowen in connection with sugar deliveries to the wharf, where the farmers are loading ships, the suggestion hae arisen that Queensland itj faced with another railway strike. The railwaymen at a meeting last evening decided to remain outside the strike pending further instructions from the State executive of the Australian Railways Union. However, a fireman on the wharf today on a shunting engine refused to ;ro on to the jetty with a load of sugar. He was immediately suspended. Ten other men who refused to take his place were also suspended. Subsequently the 11 men were dismissed.