STRIKE AFTERMATH

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1949, 5 January 1914, Page 6

STRIKE AFTERMATH

DOINGS AT LYTTELTON. ATTEMPTS TO SWAMP LOYAL WORKERS. DISGRUNTLED EX-STRIKERS. (Bt T«l«jrraph~Preei isuaolalion.) Christchurch, January 4. This morning Mr. J. M'Combs," M.P. for Lyttelton, was at Lyttelton, and had a consultation lasting about two hours with the stationmaster, and the officials of tho Railway Casual Wharf Labourers' Union in connection with reinstating the members of that union who, while in sympathy with tho watersido workers on strike, refused to sign'a declaration to work beside members of the now union. The result of the conference was not communicated to tho Press. Mr. M'Combs also approached Senior Sergeant Ryan, who is in charge of tho pohco who are guarding the waterfront, and asked that the public bo given free access to the waterfront, tho strike being now settled. The sergeant stated that ho could not do this, as his orders to maintain a guard at tho entrances had not been countermanded. Developments. Some interesting developments are anticipated in connection with the Lyttleton Railway Casual. Wharf Labourers Union as tho result of the recent strike. This is a union which \mdertakes to supply wharf labour for the Railway Department, and is now affiliated with the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants. According to a statement made to-day by a" representative of the union, when'it was decided to reopen the Port of Lvttelton, tho stationmaster at Lyttelton informed the executive of the union that all thoSo who did not, before a specified hour, sign an undertaking to do work for tho Department, would not bo employed by tho Department in future. A majority of members of the union signed this undertaking, but a number, estimated at between 20 and 30, did not do so. These men are alleged to bo Fcdcrationists.', Those-who had stood by the Department and worked for it, were sbjected to the jeers and jibes of the strikers, including the members of their own union who had failed to sign the undertaking already mentioned. Tho loyalists, in fact, wero treated as blacklegs. About three weeks ago the union sent delegates to Wellington to interview tho railway authorities, and with Mr. Mack, general secretary # of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, waited as a deputation upon Mr. M'Villy. They asked for certain concessions, which were granted, oh condition that the 1 union offered no inducement to the disloyalists to re-enter tho union. This condition was agreed upon by the union's delegates, and the disloyalists, in accordance' with the rules of the A.S.R.S., ceased to bo members of tho union by reason of their refusal to do work for tho Department.

Disloyalists Moving. The latest' development is that a movement is on foot which lias for its object the reinstatement of the disloyalists and the removal of any discrimination against them. At the time the port was reopened there was an understanding between tlie Department and the union that members of the union who stood loyally by the Department should receive preference of employment, and that when they had all received work, and thero was still more labour required, preference should then bo given to a number of men who bad joined the union at this period, in order that sufficient labour should be' availablo to meet any demands made by tlie Department. The movement now on foot, with which Mr. M'Combs, M.P.; is alleged to bo connected, is for tho purpose of placing members of the union who refused to work at a critical period on the same footing as the members who remained loyal to the Department. Thoso members wlo remained loyal consider that if this is done thoy will have good cause to complain of a breach of faitli on the demands made by the Department.

A side issue is the fact that a number of members of tho old Waterside Workers' Union aro applying for admission to the Railway Casual Wharf Labourers' Union, the intention apparently being to swamp that union with members who are either Federationists or strong sympathisers with tho United Federation of Labour. STRIKERS' FOOD DEPOT. "MEN OF GOOD CHARACTER AND SOBER HABITS." Christehurch, January 3. The strikers'.food depot was closed to-day. Tho supplies—particularly meat, potatoes, and milk—were drawn from all over Canterbury. It is stated that as yet the new Waterside Workers' Union has not acted upon the advice of tho Labour Department regarding the admission of all men of good character and sober habits' "desiring'to bo employed about the wharves in Lyttelton, whether actually employed or not." On Wednesday night, probably as tho result of a telegram from the Department, which presumed that tho now union would now admit all duly qualified applicants, tho president and secretary of tho new union proceeded to Wellington with the intention of interviewing the Registrar. NORTHERN MINERS RESUMINC. NEW UNION'S POLICY. ' (By Telegraph.—Preu AisoclattonJ Auckland, January 4. Operations will be resumed to-niorrow in tho Northern and Hikurangi coalmines, and on Tuesday at Huntly. Sufficient labour is now availablo to warrant tho reopening of the mines. Arrangements have been made for protection by the police of men ready to work against possible attempts to dissuade them from their purpose. Tho proprietary companies are determined that operations shall now bo continued without interruption. Work at Huntly was stopped on October 20, and tho mines ' have been idle for eleven weeks. On November 6 tho colliers in tho Hikurangi and- Northern mines struck at tho dictation of the Federation;-:' Recently the ; new unions registered under the Arbitration Act have entered into agreementsvvith the companies, a definite plank in thoir policy being tho exclusion of any man sympathetic with the doctrines of tho Federation. The new union at Huntly has now 130 members, and applications for enrolment are being received daily. Tho miners in the employ of the Hikurangi_ and Northern! Companies are comprised in ono union, with separate agreements defining the conditions for each mine. The of this union is already GO, and it is growing daily. Plans have noiv been completed for tho resumption of work at .Huntly. As thero were 579 minors in the employ of the company when the strike was called, and only 130 men are now ready to start work, it will not ho possiblo to restore tho normal conditions of industry immediately. A start will be made* in the' Extended Mine, and as labour is available, durations will be resumed in Ralph's Mine. DENNISTON MINES OPENING TO-DAY. Westport, January 4. Tho engine-drivers at Dcuniston hold _a meeting pa Saturday and agreed to

resume work. All tho mines aro opening to-morrow. It has been decided at Denniston to give £10 to those. who' 1 aro forced to leave tho hill on accountof their attitudo over ■ tho -.indusr, trial struggle, and to givo'' £U;V'a week towards the support of the families until fresh employment is found.--' WATERFRONT WORKESS.J§|; INVESTIGATION OF CHARGES J On Friday a waterside worker lodged a complaint at this office to tho effect that owing to the treatment ho had received from ex-strikers who wore now working on the waterfront, and tho threats made by them, ho was not going to work tliero any more. * ■ ~■.,■; On Saturday morning three members of tho cxecutivo of the union ofwatersiders mado the following state-: mont to a. Dominion reporter:— .'.«;■;,; ■ "Any member of tho presently union, whether an ex-striker 'or'--'*; otherwise, who receives ' unjust;K. treatment, or any threats, from fcl- ' .f] low-employees, should communicate '.'.-■ with some member of tho executive ■:'■■" of the union. Tho complaints will ■.;'■■■ bo treated as confidential, and will ..A bo promptly investigated. ; -. : : : .':- "We wish it known that wo are '.'.. making investigations at the pre-,.]., sent time." . :\\>o. The members also pointed out that any member of the union who lends his membership ticket to another man, so that the latter may obtain work on tho waterfront, is liable to instant dismissal from the union. -.'.':'>/■ HUTT AND PETONE BELIEF WORK Mr. J. Piper, chairman of tho Hutt and Pctonc Distress Committee, supplies the following details:—Since local relief commenced, tho first week in November, receipts amounted to £106, of which £63 was contributed locally, the balance being forwarded by tho central committee. During tho week ending November 15, 13 cases were placed on the books. Tho following week the number of families receiving relief rose to 37. This continued for a week, then tho number gradually fell to 14, during the Christmas week, at- the end of which the' books were closed (with tho exception of ono extreme case), when nearly' all had resumed work. Up to December 27, 302 orders for bread and grocery (combined) and meat were issued, while in cases of sickness orders for medicine, milk and firing were supplied, and expenses to and from the hospital paid. At Christmas time the children were by no'means forgotten. All liabilities up to December 25 have been paid, and a balance to eredit k by tho authority of the central committee to go to an urgent case. A letter from Mr. G. Gray, secretary of the central'committee, expressing appreciation of the splendid work done by the Petono committee, has also been received. A detailed and audited bal-ance-sheet will bo shortly placed before the public.