I ABOUR SITUATION IN VICTORIA

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3168, 20 August 1917, Page 5

I ABOUR SITUATION IN VICTORIA

NO KEFLEX OP SYDNEY TROUBLE EXPECTED. Officials of the Railway Department and of the Victorian Railways' Union do not anticipate any serious trouble in Victoria as a result of, the strike in Sydney. Dealing with a, 6ectional dispute within the past few weeks, the council of the union expressed tho opinion that strikes should be avoided nt the present time. According to the secretary of the union the Victorian railway employees, while desiring to preserve industrial "peace, will not do anythina that is likely to bo to the disadvantage! of the-, strikers in Now South Wales.* If an attempt were made to use tho Victorian workshops or train cervices to defeat tho strikers, the union would uiw cloubtedly take action. In the event: of the New South Wales Department maintaining services, the Victorian union would probably take action to prevent any co-operation from that State Railway workers in that State were also opposed to the introduction of the card system. They regarded it as the beginning of a system of piece work. The system might also be objected to by the public on the ground of unnecessary cx r pense, as it would .mean employing about. 110 additional foremen.

Tho hulk of the coal used on the Tailways of Victoria is obtained from Now South Walss. but .'unless tho strike is pi-olonswl for a considerable period the . Victorian Department ie not likely to be inconvenienced in tlie matter of coal supplies. If the striko results in stopping the running of the Rvdney express, the mail services between Victoria and New South Wales vrill bo dislocated. The Deputy ' Postmaster-General (Mr. Bright) states' that should such an event liappen his only alternative would bo to forward tho mails by steanisr, and a. daily servico could not be maintained' in that way. Ho had not, however, boon advised that*tho express was likely to bo cut off, and until that happened tho mails would continue to bo sent by train.