TALKING OF BIG STRIKE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1990, 21 February 1914, Page 5

TALKING OF BIG STRIKE.

MILITANT SECTION OF UNIONISTS.

BUTCHEBS' DISPUTE.

NO.SCTILEWF.

EMPLOYERS INSIST ON ARBITRATION,

By MeirraDli-Pro3s Aseoctetion-eowrisJrt (Rec. February 20, 8.35 p.m.) Sydney, February SO. Butchers, who were working' under an award in Sydney, and who ceased work on February 9 because t.b©»<ereployers failed to concede their demands for a '18-hour week arnf an advance of 10s. weekly in wages, are still on strike. On Wednesday, February 11, a combined meeting ef representatives of tho whole meat industry decided tf> offer the men a compromise of forty-nine' and a half hours 'a'weei'c and a rise of Cs. instead of 10s.

This offer was submitted to tlje men and rejected by them, and eaiwenumrtly the employers wfthdrew the offer. Later Mr. Estell (Miuister of Labour) drew upternis of settlement, ancl these wore submitted to a meeting of employees, who ott Thursday last decided to accept Mr. JEsteH's" saggosted terms as a fair basis of settlement. Tho Minister was informal that the effect of the terms were: Resumption of work forthwith, on conditions that tho.employee shall have a flat rate increase m wages to os. abavft the award rate, with jhours not exceeding 4.9J-. The outlook for a speedy settlement was then considered fi.opfisf. Tim hopes that a binding compromise would be reached and the strike, practically settled have vanished. The men's ■acceptance of the Minister's proposal for a flat rate increase ef os. 4tF. above the award rates s mtk flours not excted' ing 49} as tlta basis of imfflediaW re* sumption of work, was submitted to a meeting of employers. Mr. Estell (Jlmistor of Lakair) vind«rstaiidjng that the employors ivejo prepared ably considor tire pwposal. 'the meeting closed at midnight ami resulted in tlje masters rejecting tlio Ums. In a letter to tlm. UiKbc-Seeretnry for Labour covering the. tHeeisioti, the' tmPioycrs .state wiat, ft-tm first to" last the committco appoattted to deal «•!+'■

matter lias tulccu thft .ptißition that it could not mat® a.ny ofl'nr of u sottlempiit to the • ewnlovecs. antj that the matter must be dearfc with constitution-, ally in aocnrdanco with tho Arbitration. Act. Tlio letter ndtfs: "The wmiiiiitteo suggested that if the men mn/te W oftor it would bo eonsidorm}., Iwl -is they rofiised to ti'iko aicTt ■'offfir'the pnmmittco takos tho stand 'that tidisputo nmst he leatt with Widor laws of tho State/' , This means f. the cmploynrs msisfefl the- moil re-smri-mg; under tlm terms of the «W award, and tho tronbto will then bo stAmittrt.i tho Arbitration Ctmrt.

Mr. Estoll, replying to tlio o.mpioyers , letter, claims that they failed to' heprewato the cfiiißtitiitioiiii.l.. aspect of tJj-6 ■ mattor, : and bforWiwil' thrt' fact tl>,- : an award is in β-dslcnco, His proposal.* 1 was to usp tho ■Indastri-a/! , C'pi.irt to pro*- j cure an • imwdkt<y intorira nwarsl, mi whioh operations Would bo .rostimed 1 . It I was useless for'the m-sstors to my that thrt offer, from tho men had been ecmsidored, when, a.sn mattor of fact,' tho ■ masters had .refused two iuvitattoiis to : moot tho emi)lo3-flos in joint conference. Throughout the- Mc-soti-a-tin-as the <>-to-' ployers had given' htm tlio inmrnssien that they would linvo been i'hn first : to accept eugcse-st-iojis si-tliniitted {t>x -a.B honourable, peaoefttl settlement.' Tho grand cotnicil of the meat mfliis- ■ try employees meets this morniug to: discuss tho changed situation. The outlook is ominous, and developments aro anticJpat-ed- 1 Mr. Estell shares the keen disappointment felt on all sides at the' master butchers' decision not to ttS' copt tho proposed tetms of settlement, , All negotiations have ceasedj and there is no immediate- prospect of brinftjiw ■ thb parties tog-oilier. Sir. Estol-I "kill ■ has hopes of peace, but will wajt for ■ a ; couple of dacVa for suggos-tjo-ns'-fimtt \ cither sido. No mqfo of this nature is <8o far. reported. .' The Minister sayo that hoik flic mas- i ters and men madft applicatiftim for a variation of tlie iimeiided- awft-Kl foj , working hours. The masters allowed ' their appeal to lapse, attti- tho b>an\ posi» tion now appears to bo fb.at if tlio -fflenwithdraw theirs, an existing asvar4 of •1!) to SO hours, according to tho dais j of shop, will become operative. I Tho Grand Council af ttm Einnioyees' Union has docTarc-d tbn-t tlio hides and skins.of cattle slatmJwewwJ hy Piasters are "black," and (wer three huiadred wool and basil workers hav-e e-eagect work. The opinion is freely -expressed j t'hnt tho cold starase nnd other unions will become involved. i

The militant section of ill© nnisnists is talking of a- !>ig stiike —a general strnsglo .bet\vcc|i capital and orgaiiisert labour. Tlio Employers' Committoe met today, bnt boyond a. gftnnfti■■justification of their attitude no ijifofftia'tioii. was available. 'JV master butchers cmitiiwd kill in» operations. Tleirty of fi-eo labour is available, but 't.ljcrp is iiw mtentien of cniploring it. T)i!)wti ami several"rJtobs aro open, and the snnply appealed! today to be equal to tk> deniannf. The niastnrs c)nim tii.nt prices nfe lower than bnforv , Wt'o strike. Owing to tlio failure to resell a settlement, all tbfl <"old storage eiimloyees will join the strikw to-day, cutting off this source of supply. Prices for paultrv, bacon, cess, oheese, and fisli aw stedily 'increasing. Fish is in grouts demand. PENDING NEGOTIATIONS. 'THE MEETWR IK JifFiLBOURNE . ■AWOtJBNEP. Melbourne .February SO. The moating of tiro Meat E-mfiloyers' Union with regard! tn lieurs fljjd waees ailjournod till 'fisesday next, ponding further negotiations. Tlio meeting of master. Ittitclicrs f?ecided that tlio mnstors oouH not go be* yond' tbeir ofl'oi' of a oa. increase, but acreod to_ meet (,h.e -employees and place tlio decision before them."

OVERTIME SfRiKE. OLD CONDTTTONf! F.VKRXWHERE BUT m SYDNEY. ■ SMney, February 20. A mass meeting of whsirlinen d-is-cussod the suggestion that Jtr. .Tustice Higgins made, Jinmely, that a conference be held at Me-lbnuriio between the steamship owners and tlto watasida workers, and that the men rfisUiiie on tlio old rondit-ioiis, noiidiufr submission, of tlio trouble to a Wageß BoawL Tho meeting, by a bio; miijprity, negittivcil tho proposal. d«d d«kletl in fdveiir of continuing tliu orcrtimo st-rilic. Meetings at Newcastle, 5-Wliourße, Brisbnue. and Ho-lmrt fnvunrctl i-ice Hipgins's proisosafs, and will tripi-c----fore resume owrtinw work froffl in-day on tho old conditions.