AUSTRALIA'S INDUSTRIAL TROUBLES

Chronicle (Levin), 4 September 1946, Page 5

AUSTRALIA'S INDUSTRIAL TROUBLES

— , — 'Received Tuesclav, 7 p.in. SYDNLV , Sept. o. The trannvaynien of Sydney and Newcastle threateii to hold stop-work meetings on Monday unless the Government ileals with their grievanees. If the meetings are lield all the trams in both cities will be hold up for some hours. The tramwaymen are protesting against the Government 's failure to deal with superannuation, urgently re quired tram replacemeqts, tlie abolition of cars of the foot-board type in which the eonduetor collects fare by working around the outside of the cars by the foot-boards and hand-holds. Although outnumbered in the Legislative Council, the New South AVales Government hopes to get its Coal Bill th rough, the Upper House this week. After an all-night sitting tlie Legislative Assembly passed the Bill through all stages without amendment, and today the Legislative Council will consider the Bill. Though Labour commands only 28 seats in the Upper House of the 60, the Government hope.s to get suffieient support from Opposition members to pass the Bill. Following the recent mtners' meet mgs, production in New South Wales niines has been higher dnring the past t'ew days, and yesterday only one mine was idle. The reasoii was that the minei's followed tlie eustom of attend ing tlie funeral of a workniate. Tlie schedules of tvvo ovorseas food sliips, held up on the Australian eoast •becatise of coal shortages, have been Y-hanged." A spokesmaii of the British Ministry of TianSporL stated that tlio Baron Stranraer with a full eargo of fiour waited a week at Adelaido before obtaining stiffieient doal to sail. The Empire, Adeu could not lit't SOdO tons of iiour froxn Sydney because there were insultieient trucks t'o bring the flour from the mills. The vessel could not travel lo Eremantla where a full flour .eargo waited because of the coal short age in Melbourne. She has been diverLed to load general eargo where available on tlie east eoast. The Goinmunists have been defeated in jiractically every union ballot in which the newly-formed Labour Party imluslrial group has nominated candidates. Tlie latest victory is in the (ilass Workers Union, where only two Goinmunists are left on the exeeutive. The Labour Party is exteuding its activities to other unions and will cainpaign against Oommunist influence in tlie Boot Employees' and the Rubber Workers' Union. Notable successes have been in the Waterside Workers' Eederation and the lioad Transport Workers' Union.