LABOUR WORLD

Grey River Argus, 26 February 1927, Page 5

LABOUR WORLD

44 HOURS OF SPEEDING UP! (Received February 25 ;1 f 10.30 p.m.) MELBOURNE. February 25. Chief Judge Dethridgo de.-laro<l in the Arbitration Court that •th.* pitch fork will have to be recogt i- ■ s le<-« timate if the forty-four hour* week is to become operative.” He added: “A forty-four hours wook is only possible in a'tiy industry if tli<* workers in every way work up to thoi limit, and pull up to the collar all the time. ” SYDNEY, February 25. Commenting on the Federal Arbitr tion Court’s forty-four hour week award for engineering trades, the Pi * sident of the Chamber of Manufacturers said that it would have far-reach-ing effects. One vital, as far as New South Wales was concerned, would bo that it would equalise conditions with Victoria, from which State, New South Wales was suffering severe competition. It would probably mean also that most •of the other unions would seek the jurisdiction of the Federal Arbitration Court, thus the result of the last Federal referendum might be contradicted. An interesting position has now

arisen, whether the men will be entitled to the full rate of wages for the fortf-four hours week. Apparently, this question will have to be settled by the Court. The reduction of hodrs will certainly mean an increase in the cost of living. S.A. EMPLOYERS COMPLAIN. ADELAIDE, February 21. The possible effect of the forty-four hours week judgment has caused consternation in South Australian employing circles. It is stated that it will cost the railway £285,000 for additions to tht* staff, and £109,000 for additional machinery, which will be needed to cope with the shorter week. 40 HOUR WEEK. STRIKE TO GO ON. BRISBANE, Feb. 25. A mass meeting of building trades employees decided to continue strike until the demands were granted. AN ANOMALOUS DECISION. SYDNEY, February 25. The State Industrial Commission gave judgment in the case, in which three Unions applied for a variation df the awards to provide for forty-four hours week, that in certain cases, when it is in the public interests to do so, a week of forty-eight hours, instead of forty-four, may be awarded. The application of the Unions were therefore dismissed. WATERSIDERS~BACK PAY. This week between £4OOO and £5OOO, in the form of a retrospective increase in wages, was paid out to the Lyttelton watersiders. This back pay is the increase of Bd per hour which was withheld from the Lyttelton men from November 1925, owing to their refusal to work on Saturday afternoons. About six weeks ago the men agreed to work on Saturday afternoons, and the increase, with back pay, was paid out yesterday. In some cases it amounted to over £9, ranging down to a few shillings. GLASGOW BOYCOTT OF ROYALTY. A LABOURITE PROTESTS. LONDON, Feb. 24. The Labourite, John Stevenson, sent a letter to Mr MacDonald drawing at tention to the Glasgow Labourites’ boycott of Their Majesties visit and adding that many Labourites would he glad to know when these constantly recurring attacks and insults to Royalty will be officially condemned.

Mr MacDonald replied that the Parliamentary Labour Party cannot be responsible for decisions of Municipal Labourites. The party discussed the Duke of York’s vote on February 17. and decided that it should not be pressed to a division, but it was understood that individual Commoners should ex press their private views.