STEEL WORKERS PARALYSE INDUSTRY

Chronicle (Levin), 22 July 1947, Page 5

STEEL WORKERS PARALYSE INDUSTRY

C. R.

Mentiplav,

(From

Special P.A.

Corrospondeiit,}

Reeeiveu Mondav, 11 p.m. HYDXEY, Julv 21. This week sliould see tlic crisis iu a dispute which can be responsible for paralvsiiig uidustry Ihroughout Au-> tralia and Xew Zealand. It eome; about, paradoxicallv enough, not be cause of inereasing dilliculty of work ing conditions or tlirough continueo frietion between ernployer and worker, but becau.se tlie Xew South Wales Go vernment ha.s conferred upou all vvorkers under Htate awards tlie legaJ privi lege of a 40-hour week. Out of the upheaval cau.sed by this soinewhat arbitr.uy decision, eanie a dispute invulving ineniliers of the Iron workers ' Federatiou and Ainalganiated Enginoering I'niou eniployed in the steelworks at Xewcastle and Port KembJa. Tlie.se militant unions rejeeted offers of a live-day week and are holding out for a v.orking week which shall not iuclude Saturday or Sunday. JMr. Justice Cantor heard an application by the irouworkers to this elfect. After weighing all the evidence he deeided that, in ihe steel industry, Baturday work was necessary. The Uroken II 1 1 1 Proprietarv Company proceeiled to roster shift workers so that tliey would average no more tlian 40 hours weeklv or ten days fortnight ly. The replv oi" tlie shift workers so rostered was to adhere to a tinietable prepared by the union and to re- . fuse work on Saturday. The i'ull bench of the Industrial Cominission stepped in a fortnight ago and agreed to liear the parties to tlie dispute tomorrow. In the nieantinie it received the assurauces of the parties that the dispute would not be intensified. This accpiiescence has cost the steelworkers nothing. Over three weekends now tliey have enforced their ban with the result that production of thousands oi tons oi structural steel has been losi to Au.xtralian and Xew Zeaiand industry. In keeping their jiart of the bargain the enipioyers must reirain troni pciiai ising auy of the meu involved in these illegal tactics and . every weenend strengthens the tactical position of the men. in liis statement concerning the intervent ion of ihe full bench, .Mr. Justice Taylor suggested that "certam seclions oi the Press niiglit endeavour to restrain their eiithiisiasni for prejudging industrial issues, peiKting the he.iring of tlie case. Influenlial pajjers were not sluw in pointing out that in this case the issues have been fully weigned and judged by Mr. Justice Cantor anu that tiie dispute reach ed the present crucial stage soJeiy because tlie irouworkers chose to disregard liis iinding. During the weekend botli Mr. Chifiei and Mr. Menzies issued statenients ctiliing upou enipioyers and eniployees to! work togetlier for the goou of Lhe in- 1 dustry and of the Coinnion wealth. A| praetical application of thi-s could well conie from the steel industry where, for a questionable gain in tneir ownj comiort, tlie workers are reducing iiy! 20 to J3 [ier eent., the production oi | niaterials vftally necessary tor postwai building and industrial expansion.