STRIKES IN AUSTRALIA

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 48, 20 November 1920, Page 9

STRIKES IN AUSTRALIA

■£3,500,000 LOST IN -WAGES LAST .- TEAR. ' Losses of wages by workers throughout the Commonweeilth as a result of industrial disputes were greater during l - 1919 than in any year, since' 1912, according to figures, issued ,by the Commoviweallli Bureau o£ Statistics. The huge sum of ■£3,492,938, which, in the ordinary course of events would ha,ve been paid in wages to workers in the-various industries, was sacrificed. v .- Comparisons of the strike, figures reveal the' fact that,..industrially, 1919 was infinitely more.disturbed than 191 S. There were -160 disputes in Australia, in which 100,300 employees were directly, affected, and 57,291 intfle involved by the resulting dislocation ol' industry. .The number of vni-l-inj; d :1 vs lost- was 3,652,720. Jn 191S 42,553 workers were directly rendered idle in 298 different disputes, while 13,SSIi additional operatives were drawn in, tho I working days lost being 580,853, anil thu wages JC372.334. At first s?ight_ the disparity in tho iigurcsjfor tliese two years appears remnrkiible,.. says the ..'"Argus," ■but it must be remembered that in 1918 Australian unionism was keenly feeling the serious effects ol' the prolonged and disastrous .upheaval of 191". . Serious iis worn tho. seamen's and marine engineers' disputes) ..and thcprotract-ed-Barrier strike just year, they did' not either directly or'indirectly involve the number of . employees who were thrown out of work in the 1917 struggle. -When trouble began in the New South Wales railway workshops about the "card sys tem" technicality in that year, it gave .rise to 79 distinct disputes in the various States,.' which directly affected 151,001 workers, and threw idle 19,909 others who had no vital interest in the underlying issues. This was 16,379 more than were drawn into industrial conflicts last year. At the same time the amount of wages lost in 1917, .£2,594,808, .fell far below that which workers deprived themselves of 'in 1919: This is accounted for by the fact that the' strikes of last year were, ■more prolonged, as 1,053,008 more working days were' lost. "As in the past,' New South Wales was" the storm centro of the industrial clashes of 1919. Of the Commonwealth total of 400 disputes 267 originated in that State, and 09,990 workers taking part'forfeited .£2,397,250 in wages for the 3,669,186 working days abandoned. In Victoria there wero 62 disputes, involving' 22.60G employees .and causing the loss of 733,333 ; working days ' and . «£392,790 in wages'. Tho record of New South AVnles is wholly- due to the prevalence of disputes in the coal mining industry. number of disputes in the Commonwealth in 1919,' 460,/ was in excess of the totals, recorded in any previous year, with the exception of -1916, when 508 cessations of work occurred, coal strikes being launched in four States about tho question of height :hburs, bank .to bank."

Strikes in the mining, and quarrying industries wore responsible for 18 per cent. ,of the working days lost in 1919, iand'- for- 55 per cent, of tho wages loss compared with 38 and. 40 per cent, respectively in 1918. In the shipping industry there were 41 disputes: last year throughout' Australia, involving 32,714 employees, and a loss of 2,271,030-work-ing days, and ,£1,182,933 in wages.. Cessations in these two activities caused tho bulk of the dislocation and hardship arising from industrial unrest last year.

According to official inquiries, only 154 ,of tilie 4GO disputes in Australia in 1919 resulted- in gains by. the unions. Of tlieso" 72 Iliad relations to wages questions. Tho stand of tho employers against wages demands was successful in G9 strikes, wliilo they also controlled tho situation at tho close of 88 other disputes, thus giving a total of 15" strikes resulting in favour of the employers. Of the U'emn.iml'oi', -'compromise la-aught about n settlement of 139 disputes, while 10 closed indefinitely. Of the 160 disputes'in 1919, only nine wore settled by the Commonwealth Arbitration Court, the total comprising "two State" disputes. Direct negotiations between employers and employees led to understandings being reached after 201 strikes, -and a distinctive third party opened the way to settlement on 35 "occasions. Altogether 38 disputes were adjusted under Stato industrial Acts.