THREE MORE BIC STRIKES ON OR THREATENED

Chronicle (Levin), 10 January 1947, Page 5

THREE MORE BIC STRIKES ON OR THREATENED

Press Assn.-

By Telegraph

-Copyright

» Reccivcil Thursftay, 8.45 p.m. SYDXEV, -Jan. 9. Tho moa! inriusl ry dispute may now spread l'rom Sydnev to Xeweastle aiul 1o Ihe South ( oast oJ New South \\ ales uuless tho Ferioral Govermnenf iut iwvoiu-s. The ImtchoYs say they_ have a plun to ond the lookout but so 1'ar havo rel'usod to divulge it. With gas produet ion ceasing touight ovor most oi! bydnoy eit izens l'cad a torecast by a mombcr ot tho Produce Inipoitcis Committop tliat there wili bo aiiolhor potato laniinc withiu two weeks. Tho potato shortage is duo to watorsido disputos holding U[> tho earriago oi' potatoos i'rom Tasniania. Tho t rain aud bus ouipioyes s ai'o asking other transport groups l*o l* dii'oot aotioii to support thoir doiuaiuls Lor ponalty ratos aud a 40-houi- week aud 1'ollowing a ooui'oi'onoo today a slopwork ineeling will bo liold ou tho 20th to eonsider an indoliuito stoppage. Tho Syduoy distriot committee oi' tho Amalgamated Engtneeriug Eldon has askod tho (hmiimmwoalth Conncil to oxtond tho ruot af trados disputo in M elbourne to all tho States. This domand and a s'uuilar mu- I'roiu Yiotoria will bo doalt with tomorrow. Endorsement would inoan that 65,000 engineers throughout Australia wouhi ln-ooiuo involvod in tho disputo which is ovor £1 weekly wago iin-rcaso. A sniall disputo which bogau wlion tinibor was being unloadod f i-oin tho Now Moaland barque Paniir at Circnlar Quay threatens to dovoloji into a si rious lioldup oii tho Syduoy watorl'roiit. Tho watersidors domaiidod an oxtra two liion in tho Pamir's holds, and whou this was not granted tlioy waikod off tho sliip. GASWORKERS SHOOK SYDN'EY WITH SUDDEN STRIKE. Today tlioy rol'usod to return to tho job and wero autoniatically suspondod bv tho por! coninuttoo. As a rosult all tho othor iiiou jirosoiit rol'usod to auswor tho calls 1*1)1* labour leaving a nunibor oi intoi'stato ships witliout gangs. All tho iiiou returniug to tho pick-up oontro aftor completing tho pi'osont jobs will autoniatically boeoino involvod in tho disputo which tluis can paraly-'o tho ontire watori'ront. Tho gaswockors sliookod Syduoy today with a lightning decision to rosuino tho gas strikc. As a rosult consuniors sorvod by tho Austialian Gas Eight ( onipany, tho biggcst produeer in ilio Syduoy area, will bo witliout gas l'rom 7 p.ni. today. Somc oinployoos oi' tho Xorthshoro (ias I'ouipany rol'usod to walk oul and tho oilicials hope tlioy will bo ablo to niaintain supplios. Tho docision to coiitinuo tho strikc was mado at a mooting at Mortlake. Tho roason givou was that tho mon wero dissatisliod with tho dolay in doaiing with thoir claitns i'or incroased ratos I'or shii't workers and ponally ratos I'or wookcnd work. Tho union intoiids to keep tho mon in tho plant as long as possiblo to insuro that production is closcd off witliout damago to tho equ'Lpiuent . As soon as tho announcoiiiont was niado the mon eoinmonced to closo ofi' tho plant. At tho smallor works at Oyster Eovo tho mon rol'usod to comply with tho union dirocti>ius and pi-oduction continuod normally. Stato Goveruiiieut ot'iicials are nngercd at tho docision which they considor a slight m: tho iovornniont bocause tho mon rcturnod to work on Dcccmbor 21 ai'tor a nino days' striko on tho Governluont assuranco lhai thoir claims would bo invosl igatod. Tho ( iovcrnmeiit ai-p-.untod M r. Stan llaviland as gas adniinistrator, 1 1ms in i'act lakiim ovor ihe works.