Queensland Strikers Make Significant Move

Chronicle (Levin), 1 April 1948, Page 5

Queensland Strikers Make Significant Move

Beeeived Wednesdav, ll.o p.m. BRiSBAXE, March 31. A mass meeting of railwaynien in liockhainpton decided todny to recoin mend the eentral disputes eoinniittee to enter into negotiations with the Premier, Mr. llanion, for a settleinen. of the nine weeks' oid ry.il wav strike. Tlie de\ elopineni at Uentral (^ueensland's key railway centre, follows return to work votes in a nuinber oi niinor eeulres during the past lortnight. In contrast a inass nieeting of Brisbane watersiders today decided to re maui on stnue until the (tovernmen; i-epeaks the anti-strike leg'islatiou. rtc\ eral union otiicials foreeast that ihe Queensland railway strike, now in ils bhtli day, will ciid this week, ano that all raiiwaymen will be baek at work oii Monday. The chairman of the cenlral disputes comniittee (Mr. O'Brieu) says tliat ihe raiiwaymen will iiold mass nieeting.tlirmigliout (Queensland on Fridav. Yesterdav b'Jti trains rau in Queensland. XTnion Split In Two. The lutier stiuggle between the Uommunists and the nioderates in the Amalgamated Bngineering Union is expected to reaeh a decision at a dele gate meeting of the union ordered in Urisbaue today by the i ederal eouncn. l'he eliairiiian oi tiie L-eiterat eounc.. (Mr. .J. Urunwell) will hy from Sydney to dejmlisw for .->lr. r.. .1. Rowe, wlio i.stiji liioing- frotu ihe jmliee. L'he uuiou is now s[dit into two majur oio. ivs on the issue of eontixiuiug the strike. The. Aorlh (Queensland an.i Uentral Quee.island brauehes- wish to resumo wuru on the basis of the (lovetiiineni olt'er of a margmal weekip wage increuse of Ik's -Id. The othei biocli, eeiilnng' 011 lpswieh and Towus \ xlle, favours eontinuing' tlie sti'ike. Union leader.s reinse 10 eoinuieut on a rei>ort published in tlie Bydney Ooni inunist newspaper Tribune that it be lieved Mr. Uranwell had warned th. autliorities that tliey risned the loss o. oue day's produetion in all States fo.every day wlr. ltowe was kept in a Queensland gaol. It is underslood tha tne rank and Jile of union uiemOers ar. unlikely to aceept tlie Uouiiniinist jiro posal. "it is deploralile that oue mai. should be respoiisiole ior the disput. gelling out jx hand. ' ' said an l-.iigiu eering Union ollieiai. "Xever beior. lias tnis uuiou aixowed oue nian to uictale its all'aiis. '