STRIKES IN AUSTRALIA

Chronicle (Levin), 15 January 1947, Page 5

STRIKES IN AUSTRALIA

Covemment Chief Target

(Special Australian Corresoudent.) Reeeived Tuesday, 7.0 p.m. SYDNEY, Jan. 14. The barrage of strikes and threats of direct aetion uiider vvhieh Australian industry is disappearing in the first weeks of the A'ew Year is proof that the assault by the unions against the Uovern-uient-imposed eont jls on yages, prices and iiours is in full swiiig. A remarkable feature is the revolt by .employers against controls which in the closliTe of the butehers' shops in JSydiiey and Newc.istle takes'on thc. guise oi: the bitterest of political strikes. Wlxeii Labour first organised in orcler to seeiire for itself the hetterinent of wages and eondilioiis the strike weapon was recognised as a dangerous two-edged sword to be . used sparingly against tlie employers. But tlie Australian Governmeiits, both State and Federal, have nioved into industry by imposing a variety of controls the praiseworthy aim oi' which is to leep down tlie eost of living. It •s tiie Governnient whieli fixes tlie m .xiuiiim wages, hours and prices. Tlius -thc Government already, hecause oi' its ovvnership of public utilities is the'greatest employer in

Ihe Goninionwealth, becomes the chief target for direct action on Ihe part of employers and employees alike. Of eight disputc's, three of which are in the strike stage, every one is directed in some way at the ({overnment. The gas employees in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide are striking for double time for Bunday work, time and a lialf for Haturday Avork, additional amiual leave for shil't workers and a'minimum wage* of £6 18s a week. According to the Govermnentimposed controls these wages and hours cannot be granted by the employers. The men rei'use to accept the assuranee tha-t the Arbitration Oourt will deal witli ihe matters in dispute. As Ai i Justice Drake Broekman refuses to consider matters in arbitration whikvthe men reniain on strike in ost of Sydney is without gas and ihrce cities which together hold nearly JialL' of Australia's popula fion are existing on a mengre and neavily restricted supply. The union maehinerv is so cumlirotis and opinion so divided even in tlie. Federal Council of the Gas Employees' Union that a decision in favotir of a settlement today eon ld not be implemented until approved by mass meetings of strikers in three States. This rouiti mean iio gas for another week. Employers Use Workers' Weapon. The employers cntered the assault on Government controls when 011 January 6 the Sydney and Xewcastle butchers elosed as a protest against Ihe nncontrolled livestoek prices and the alleged ineffieient polieing of the wholesalCj meat. prices. The Goyernriiei|,t has'Jaken nd aetjon tiioitgh Sy di i ev aifO N e w cll sil eC h iiVe b eeh without meat for eight days. The Sydney trnm and hus men will hold another onc-day strike an Monday if the.y are not granted i fiveday 40-hour week, double lime for Sun days and time and a lalf for Satiirdays. Tliese claims •annol be met under tlie law. The watersiders are considering Ti eet aetion in an attempt to win ! tb'days with pay despite the faet fhat their claim was recently turnid down by the Arbitration Court. The Sydney taxi-drivers are in ictive boycott against tlie Governnent decision to ban multiple 'ares. Tlie postal workers are denlandn g substantial inereases in pay tnd tax exemption on all salaries : mder £300 a year. Tlie dockyard employers have :

loeked out 8000 men because 28 crane-drivers walked out after their illegal reqitest for an increase of £1 a .Week had been refused. In eyery case either the Federal or State Government has power to break the hold-up, but in no casehas this been attempted. On previous showiugs it is unlikely that any* Government will take tlie drastic steps of disciplining tlie irresponsibles and rabble rousers. : Mystery in Butchers' Hoid-up A mysterious tuni to the retail butchers * closure was given today by the departure ,of the seeretafy and president of tlie Meat and Allied Trades FederatioU for an undiselosed destination. Newspaper repreSentatives Avere told that the men, Messrs T. A. Herbert and H. Barnes, would be absent for an indeterminate time for an unstated reasoii. Most of the Sydney blttehers were still elosed today and an official stated that probably there would be no further development until Friday. Thousnnds of bags of swede tiirnips and potatoes from Tasmania may rot if tlie two sliips tied up in Sydney harbour are not unloaded. The potatoes are actually the taxpayers' property as they ivere shipped under Government arraugenient. The watersiders at the interstate pickup centre again refused to aceept work today heeause of the dispute 011 tlie 'Nc.w Zealand barque Pamir. Ten ships are now Avitliout labour. Calls for 2300 men were made but lione answered.