IRONWORKERS IN BRAWL

Chronicle (Levin), 9 April 1949, Page 5

IRONWORKERS IN BRAWL

(N.Z.P.A.-

-Reuter*

Trouble When Leaders Call For Strike

Copyright)

Received Friday, 8.15 p.m. SYDNEY, April 8. Deteetives armed with a warrant, went to the Ironworkers : Assoeiation rooms today to arresl the assistant national seeretary Mr. L. J. McPhillips, but he was not there. Meanwhile the majority of ironworkers in the Sydney metal in dnstries have eeased work at th( command of their union, as a protest against the oue month's gao1. sentence imposed upon McPhillipf by the Arbitration Court for con tempt. The warrant was received toda). by the New South Wales Regis trar of the Arbitration Conrt. 11 was addressed: "To the senioi officer of police, Sydney, to al other constables in NewT Sontl "Wales and to the keeper of hir Majesty's prison near Long P>av. '' Most ironworkers who failed ti come out yesterday in response U union direction, eeased work today. Employers admit that th stoppage is general. There will be a mass meeting on Monday to discuss further action. Many stormy meetings tooh place in various firms thronghonl fiie eity as many men at first rei'uscfl to strike. Union officials however, were mneh in evidence. The industrial protest aetion spread today when the Oommurm controlled Waterside "Workers" Union and Seamen's Union order cd a nationwide 24 hours' strike. Alr. McPhillips, for whom thc police are looking, made an unexpected appearance at a protesl meeting of ironworkers in Woollongong tlds afternoon. He thei disappeared. A meeting ealled at Neweasth this afternoon to protest against gaoling Mr. McPhillips, developed into a riot. Aecording to the Ironworkers' Kederation, 14,000 of Sydney 'f 15,000 ironworkers, are now idle in Newcastle the home of the heavy in dnstries, the men not obeying the call to strike so will ingly. Thonsands who paeked thc Newcastle Stadinm this afternoon where the protest meeting wa' held, shonted and yelled and the loeal seeretary, Mr. R. C. Morgan was knoeked ont when fights started in the ring. Fighting then broke ont in varions parts of the stadinm. The mierophone eqnipment was smashed beyond repair. Tomatoes vTere thrown when several speakers tried to make themselves heard. When someone exhibited a notice reading "Go Baek to WTork Tonight," the crowd roared ap proval. Kight Wingers elaim that the meeting indieated that it did not snpport the McPhillips protest. Tn Brisbane meetings of iron workers on the job at the work shops voted solidly against the prnposed stoppage of wrork or Momlay as a protest. The Newcastle seeretary of the Trmr workers' Union, Mr. Morgan tonight broadeast a call to aP irmnvorkers in Newcastle to resnme work at the usnal time totnorrow. All available Newcastle police were rnshed to the Stadinm thic afternoon to stop the brawling be tween the Commnnists and non Uommnnists. The Stadinm officials said hnndreds of pounds worth of damage had been don to the flxtnres.