STRIKE BALLOT CALLED OFF

Chronicle (Levin), 8 July 1946, Page 5

STRIKE BALLOT CALLED OFF

men ordered to return to work Received Sunday, 7 p.m. BRISBANE, July 6. FoHowing tlie State Govemment's dramatic midnigbt decision to cancel tlie meat strike ' ballot and order tbe .wQrks to. re'o.pen and tbe uren tg .resutne ' work by JuTy ulations on w.hetber, . eb'aS ,, .^rc^rlfwill return to work. . y The Govemment's decision followed a recpiest from the iVIeat Union and tbe ballot was caneelled owing to eonfusion caused by the duplication of names. The Industrial Court sent out 2000 more ballot papers that the union claims as members. The coal miners, who went out in sympathy with the meat strikers, deseribed the Union recpiest to tbe Government as treacberous and traitorous and this leads to dou.bts about the mindi'o' rpsnmritinTl.

Until coal is being produced again the power and light restrictions wbich have thrown 50,000 out of work, will continue. About 108,000 tons of coal have been lost by strikes on the Xew South Wales coalfields in the last four weeks. This tigure does not include tbe production lost by absenteeism, mechanical breakdowns' and funerals. Tbe loss yesterday was 10,800 tons. Sydney is again without tram services over tlie weck-end and tbe trams are running On restricted timetables, but it is considered that no fufther euts will be made in the next few days. Tbe position sbows little improvement and tbe Bunnerong powerhouse is still dependent on coal supplies as they eome to hand.