STRIKE FEVER HIGH

Chronicle (Levin), 14 January 1947, Page 5

STRIKE FEVER HIGH

Press Assn.

Shippjjig, Transport, Taxis, Gas and Abattoirs DISPUTES IN AUSTRALIA

By Telegraph.

-Copyrighi

Received Monday, 7.5.0 p.m. SYDNEY, Jan. 13. Indijstrial paralysis is threatenr ed by the record number of disputes listed for decision by trade union executives within the next seven days. A national tierup of shipping ny the waterside workers, a general transport stoppage, a 24hour strike by all postal workers and a strike by the State abattoirs are among the major threats. The National Louneii of the Waterside Workers' Federation ,will meet today to diseuss the iligh Uourt's. rejeetion of the waterside workers' annual leave elaims and the Stevedoring lndustry Compassion 's decision to reduce appearance money from 16s to 12s. In iSydney the Pamiv dispute now involves 1500 men, with the prohnhility of a further extension. A settlement of the gas strike in Sydnev, Melbourne and Adelaide has not yet been reached and whatever happens, it is not likely that the gas supplies ean be restored fullv before Friday. It is stated unoffieially tlrat the Federal Council of the Gas Employees' Union rejected the recommendation by the Australasian Council of Trade Unions that work should be resumed, because of Ihe opposition of the New South "Wales and South Australian delegates to any settlement ivhicli did not include double time for Sunday shil't work. The confei-enee adjourned early this afternoon to make way for another later today between the Australasian Council Committee and the Strike eooi-clinating Committee in Melbourne. The Vietorian and Tasmanian delegates are convinced that the employei'S cannot lie moved and favour resumption of work with the assuranee of payment of time and a lialf for Saturday work and Ihe j referenee of other elaims to tlie Arhitraiion ( 'ourt. Sixteen Ships Held Up in Sydney Sixtcen ships were affeeled today when for the fourth sueeesive day Ihe- wai ersiders refused to answer ealls at the interslale picknp eenlre. Tlie liold-up is due to Ihe (lisjnite on the number to work in the holds of the New Zealand barquo Ramir during the unloading of timber. The threat to interstate sh ipping is growing as today six vossels were lel't entirely without labour and ten with ineomjilete gang-s. Another potato famine looms willi the stoppage of work on a vessel which arrived last Thursday from Tasmania with vegetables. Taxis Boycott Central Station. The taxi drivers boycotted the Central Railway Station today as a protest against the ban 011 multiple hiring. A similar boyeott last week resulted in the enforcement ..being delayed. but Ihe authorities Vrre determiire^l-|th!s tit^e toVicarry it through, ri ' Q All taxi services are expeeted to be suspended 011 Wednesday afternoon when a stopwork meeting of drivers is to be held. This moriu ing a number of taximen who refused single t'ares at the railway station were booked by the police. Members of a "speeial squad and traffie police toui'ed the city to diverf emptv taxis to the station, but union pieke-ts were soon busy warning drivers to keep away. By noon not oue taxi was sighted 011 the Central Station rank, but Ihe police and transport officials were there in foree. The men blame the State Government for not introducing legislation to tako the pU.ce of the national erpergeiicy regulntions permitting multiple hiring which oxpired the the end of .1946. Failnre to eomply with the new. order ean eost a taxi driver his licence. The Butchers'- Lookout. After exhausting their stoeks tlie "Wollongong butchers today joined the butchers of Sydney and NeAvcastJe in closing their shops in protest against price controls. More than 100 shops operating on meat killed on Friday and supplies from .eountry killing centres were open in Sydney today. The ahattoir employees at Homebush decided t.o ask the Oovernment to t,ake over key shops for the purpose of getting meat to the public. The dcmand 011 poultry, rabbits, c.ooked foodstutfs and tinned meat was hea-vy today, but retailers say that the supply is adequate. Australians were threatening

their own living standards, said (Sir Srinivsa Sarma, an Indian journalist xvho is accompanying the Indian trade delegation to Australia. lndustrial disputes ineant that there were no cxpqi't-^ able surpluses essential for the tnaintenaiice of those standards. To retain the Indian market, a natural outlet for Aiistralian producf.s, Anstralia should earmark ab.out ten per cent of her inelustrial output for Indian export. Because of the eessation of Aiistralian exports countries sucli as Belgium aiid Holland had been able to reopen shops in India elosed previously because of AitSr tralian competition.