MEN WILL WORK; PRESSURE GROUP SAYS NO

Chronicle (Levin), 16 May 1946, Page 5

MEN WILL WORK; PRESSURE GROUP SAYS NO

(Speeial Australian Gorrespon.denf ) . Received Wednesday, 7 p.m. HYDXFV, May 35. Though the waterside strike which is paralysing shipping in the main Australian ports has onLy been in operation a few days, signs oi dissension among tlie strikers are becoming apparent. The main issue, which is simple enough, is being clouded by minor ones as the evidence shows that watersiders in dift'erent ports have diffcring vievvpoints. Brisbane waterside workers were the first to put into praccice the prineiples which the hea.d oiijec of tlic Federation enunciated in the early stages of the dispute — that the men desired to coiifnie the dispute to thc wool ships without interfering with other trade. They carried "this to extremes by forcibly boar«Jjng tlie ships Murada and ^Iaceclon and unloading perishable fruit 'and vegetables cargoes. This action was iljegal but in their favour it can be said that no violenee was offeied and that as a result, urgently needed eommodities which would otherwise have rotted in the holds, reaehed the public. At the saine time, no attempt was made by the strikers in Hyd-_ ney to ensurc the unloading of three ships carrying similar cargoes. The authorities have made several ealls for' labour on these ships without response.'- Watqrsiders: will not .oft'er.for work unless they "are assured t hat 'tlie men \Vho refused to work the wool ships will be permitted employment on other vessels. Now the Brisbane watersiders who I'.nldaded5 the fruit and vegetables rather tlian sce them rot are outlawed by. the liead otlice of Ihe Waterside Workers ' Federation which says tliat no perishable cargoes will be worked by union men. Thus, as if the holdup of vital shipments of wool to Europe and Ameri'ca were not enough, the waterside dictators have added the addit ional threat of a wastage of thousand' oi tons of fruit- and vegetables and their loss to publie eonsumption. Sydney residdnts are now wondering whether their plight will again lie used as a pawn in the garne between the authorities and a pressure group. The strikers are permitting colliers to vun between Sydney and Neweastle. By again denying their published prineiples, union leaders can deprive Sydney of all power within three days.