INDUSTRIAL MATTERS.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16428, 23 January 1919, Page 7

INDUSTRIAL MATTERS.

ENGINEERS' STRIKE (By Cable.—P:ef« Association. —Copyright.} , (Australian and 2>.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, January '_>1. The negotiations with the engineers in London failed, and a grave situation i lias arisen. It is likolv that 230.000 J will go on strike this week, involving I the public service and 1000 firms. The j men claim that shop privileges are imi memorial. j A CLYDE DECISION. LONDON, January 1!). The shop stewards on the Clyde have decided to strike on January 27th unless a forty-hour week is conceded. SETTLEMENT REACHED. NEW YORK, January 17. Despatches from Buenos Ayres state that the strike lias been settled nnd the situation is improving. Lima advices also state that the strikers there have returned to work. LAUSANNE CONFERENCE. (Recoived January 22nd, 11.40 p.m.) SYDNEY, January 22. The Australian Labour Party has selected Mr Ryan Premier of Queensland, who is now en route to England, and Mr Anstey, a Federal legislator, at present in England, to represent Australia at the international Labour Conference to be hold at Lausanne, coincident with the Peace Conferonce. ARBITRATION FAVOURED. (ltoceived January 22nd, 11.40 p.iu.) SYDNEY, January 22. A" ballot of the Australian "Workers' Union throughout the Commonwealth decided substantially in favour of arbitration as opposed to direct action as the future policy of the Union. ONE BIG UNION OPPOSED. (Received January 22nd, 11.40 p.m.) SYDNEY, January 22. A number of Labour leaders, opposed to the oxtrome section, strongly condemn the "one big union" proposal. They declare that it involves Bolshevism, revolution, anarchy, and rule by extremists. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) SYDNEY, January 14. There is now proceeding in Melbourne a conference of Labour delegates from all over Australia, whose purpose is to form tho organisation which is in the forefront of I.W.W. propaganda—namely, the "ono big union." The preamble of the thing, which has been adopted, shows that the idea is to have one great organisation in the place of all the more or less independent craft unions, and that the ultimate object in view is the placing of all the means and fruits of production in the labourers' _ hands—in other words, pure Bolshevism. It was at first proposed to divide the workers into sections, broadly according to the industries concerned! and that all should link up under a general executive body. But even that was abandoned as savouring too much of the hated craft union, and the only system of ' division followed will be that of locality. All the workers in one locality, irrespective of the nature of their work, will bo lumped together to form a branch or division. The organisation proposed is most elaborate. In New South Wales, for instance, it is proposed to spend £83,150 per annum on staff nnd administrative work. This will include six members of the Federal executive at £600 pet year; 19 State executive mongers at £500; mnetv-seven members of the divisional executive at £300; ninetyseven organisers at £250; 50 clerks at £208; 50 girls at £130 per annum. It should perhaps be explained that tho "One Big Union" scheme represents the effort solely of the extremist elements of the Australian Labour organisation. The men who are at the back of it are practically all Bolshevists dangerous cranks and fanatics, association with whom is repudiated by all decent and loyal men. • A great number of the better class unions refuse absolutely to have anything to do with tlie 0.8. U.