LOCO ENGINEERS RESUME WORK TODAY

Chronicle (Levin), 16 March 1948, Page 5

LOCO ENGINEERS RESUME WORK TODAY

•Received Tuesday, 12.35 a.m. BRISBANE, March 15. The first major union move towards a settlement of the Queensland strike took place tonight when the secretary of the Queensland .branch of the Australian Federated Union of Locomotive Engineers announced that the 2300 memhers of his union -would return to work tomorrow morning. Telegrams have heen sent to the district hranches of the union to this effect. The decision follows a divisional council meeting of the union. Mr. Ridgway said the Oommissioner for Railways (Mr. Malone) had given an assurance that the men would not he victimised if they "returned to work and would retain all the privileges they had hefore the strike. The LocomOtive Engineers' Union has heen on strike since Fehruary 18 after its memhers had heen stood down although many continued to work. Today 1000 were on the joh. The reasons given for the union' s decision to resume work were the statement made in Melhourne hy the Conciliation Cpmmissioner (Mr. Murray Stewart) that he would investigate the anen's claims if they resumed and the promise of Mr. Maloney that the' men would not be victimised. Mr. Stewart said if the men returned' to work he would determine whether the. disnute was onc' for the Pederal Arhitration Ooirrt. It is" eonsidei*ed that this union 's aetion will he a vital factor in hringing ' ahout the collapse of the strike. • . i »