Australian Wharf Dispute

Chronicle (Levin), 17 May 1946, Page 5

Australian Wharf Dispute

Press Assn.

p0ss1bil1ty of extensi0n

By Telegraph

-Copyright

Received^ Thursday, 8.45 p.m. SYDNEY, May' 16. A confusing situation developed today due to conflieting statements about the waterfront dispute which is paralysing shipping in the main Australian ports. In Canberra it was stated authoritatively that the Government intended tc- issue an crder banning the double dumping of wool on a speeified date. This would meet the union demands and wou'ld presumably end the' strike. Some newspapers anticipated! this and claimed in their noon editionsj that tiLC strike was over. In Sydney, ' liowe^ ey the Minister of Supply andj Shipping, Senator Ashley, pointed out! that tlie Stevedoring Industyy Commission which is sitting at his order to seek a solution of the problem, onl}r co.mmenced its conference at noon. Ten tliousand waterside worlcers are involved in the strike whieli is now in its cleventh dav. Senator Ashley stated this afternoon that the Canberra reportj was incorrect and without foundation, j aua that it prejudiced the success of negotiations. The report stated that an order banning the double dumping as from a cer-1 tain date, would be conveyed to the| Waterside Workers' Federation today j and that it came from the Common- 1 wealth wool authorities who are under tlie control of the Minister of Com-! merce, Mr. Scully. When the Stevedoring Commission met at noon to com- j mence diseussions, newspapier posters were proclaimiug the end of the strike.; Meanwhile the Waterside Workers'; Federation served a new demand 011 the Commission that unless morning and afternoon shift hours were fixed by J une 1, the men would not work liet ween midnight and 7 a.m. 1 The strike has now completely immobilised ninety-five ships. First indications that cancellations of the eolliers running betweon Sydney and Xrewcastle, may be used as a threat. by the sinkers appeared last night wlien union ofiicials said they were afraid tliat if the dispute was not onded soon, it would spread to other industries and that. the eolliers might be involved. This would leave Sydney without gas" or electric power within three days at the present low state of reserves.

A special article in the Sydney Herald this morning states: "The tie up 011. the waterfront has not been brought about by tlie rank and iile of wharf labourers. It is a fight picked by tlie C'oinmunist partv. Jt is being run by Communists who are bossing tlie Waterside Workers' Federation and it is against the wishes of most of the men. The dispute is supposed to be over double dumping of wool lnit the men actually working the wool have never been given a chance of giving their vicws. " The writev is vouclied for by the Herald as a waterside worker and a member of the Federation for over eighteen years. The wage loss to the strikers is estimated as £100, 000 weekly. Only two ships were worked in Sydney yestcrday, both by service personnol.