Thousands of Workers Idle

Chronicle (Levin), 28 June 1946, Page 5

Thousands of Workers Idle

press Assn.

power drastjcally cut

By Telegrgph

-Co.pvright

ReceiVed Thursday," 7.0 p.m."' *. •BRISBANE, June 27. With drastic cuts in power and lig'ht under emergenby measures,Brisbape to-day yias a eity of gloom. Most stores and offices were in semi-darkness with workers struggling tb do jqb§ with the aid qf Iqurricane and carbide larpps and candles. The use of power and gas in hornes is limited to an hour 'and a half a day. Qnly one. light is permissible and must go out at 9 p.m. Thousands have already been paid off by industries becapse of the power cuts, and if the strikq continues another - week it is anticipatqd 100., 0Q0 will he 'affected. Restricted. transport services are taxed to bring workers Ao the city. The trams ceaee running at 7 p.m. ind trains at 9.3Q p.m. All amusement p'laces -close at night. The meatworkei's are the cause of the strike. The cqalminers and watersiders who went out'in sympathy have. rejected dispute settlement terms. The meat strike' is in its thirfceeiith week and has held up the shijoment qf mqre than 30,QQO tqps Df beef to England. The situation became desperate when 2000 Queensland mineris .itruck on June 12 and 3500 on June 19 in sympathy with the 6000 meat workers, who waiked out of their 1'pbs on June 6 after four men were dismissed from the Murrarie bacon fqctory. A dispute committee of Communists, which has dominated the Brisbane Labouf Council, has takencontrol of the strike, and has so far rejected all olTers of a settlement. The union's terms will be submitted to-morr' ;w to a mass meetihg of the unionists concerned.