A LAST WARNING TO STRIKERS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3083, 14 May 1917, Page 5

A LAST WARNING TO STRIKERS

GOVERNMENT ACTION IN ENGINEERING STRIKE STOPPAGE CONDEMNED BY TRADE UNIONS (Rec. May 13, 5.5 p.m:) London, May 12. The Government has exhibited in the centres affected by strikes the following liotico: "A serious stoppage of work by engineers engaged in vital munitious contracts lias occurred at a moment when in view of the present offensive on all fronts thoro was a greater peed for all kinds of munitions than at any previous time. Tho striko allegedly was a protest partly against tho abolition of trado cards and partly against the Munitions Amendment Bill, and continues in spito of full explanations as to the effeot of these measures, aDd ill spito of the fact that it is completely unauthorised, and condemned, by fifty trade unions ,in the engineering aDd shipbuilding trades. "The strike therefore is clearly as ranch n. protest against tho executive authority of the trado unions as against the Government's action. This is fully confirmed by telegrams from the strike leaders in. the Manchester area, stating that the Joint Engineering Shop and Stewards' Committee will repudiate ocy interference by the official executives of tho workers in tho present dispute. "Tho Government cannot permit the strike to continue, and therefore summons all loyal citizens to resumo work, and immediately to point out to all who may bo inciting to any stoppage of munition work that they are guilty of an offence under tho Defence of the I!calm Act. and liable to a penalty of servitude for life, or such lesser punishment as may bo awarded."—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn.-Iteuter.