SILENT PORTS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 7 December 1927, Page 5

SILENT PORTS

SITUATION GRAVER « PROSPECT OF PROLONGED STRIKE. PARTIES SUMMONED TO ARBITRATION: [By Cable — Press Assn. — Copyright,] (Received 7, 10.40 a.m.) Canberra, Dec. 7. In the House of Representatives the Hon. S. M. Bruce announced that the parties to the waterside dispute had been summoney to appear at the Arbitration Court to-day. OWNERS’ DEMANDS UNACCEPTABLE. (Received 7, 10.40 a.m,) • Melbourne, Dec. 7. Shipowners attended the Arbitration Court three times yesterday but the representatives of the Watersiders’ Federation failed to appear. It is stated that their absence was due to demands made by the owners which were not acceptable to the union and which, it is claimed, would have rendered the conference a failure No steps were taken by the federation to end the dispute and when the meeting of the Federal management committee concluded it was announced that the strike would continue until the position reached a more satisfactory stage from the union’s point of view. The situation on the waterfront, is now graver than it lias been for several days and prospects of an early settlement are uncertain and unless the "pick-up” dispute is more clearly defined between the parties there is every probability of the strike being further prolonged.

SPLIT IN LABOUR RANKS. (Received 7, 10.50 a.m.) Melbourne, Dec. 7. Because of yesterday’s events the relations between the management committee of the Watersiders’ Federation and the Australian and New New Zealand Council pf Trade Unions and the Melbourne Trades Hall Council have become strained, and it is probably negotiations between those bodies which have been conducted for several days will be discontinued, Through the advent of the emergency committee of the Australian and New Zealand Council, the Arbitration Court was induced to intervene in the trouble, and it is stated unofficially that the Watersiders’ Federation had refused to agree to the terms of settlement proposed by the council, which had urged the federation to declare off the overtime strike.

Although the management committee carried the resolution advising branches that they must abide by their awards, it is contended that there are other matters m the dispute which were not breaches of an award, but which the shipowners asserted were contravening the provisions of the award. The officials of the federation asserted that the demands of the shipowners would not be agreed to by the federation and this had led to the hitch in the conference as reported by cable published hereunder. 1 CONFERENCE DISCUSSIONS. A\ ABRUPT ENDING. Melbourne, Dec .6. The conference between the parties to the waterside strike was postponed from 10 o’clock this morning to 3 o’clock this afternoon to enable the shipowners to conclude .the preparation of a statement thev are submitting to the conference. Meantime the watersiders’ committee of management carried a resolution, which was forwarded to the Court, advising all branches of the federation that they must abide bv awards of the Court and that such local rules as are in conflict with legally obtained conditions must be deleted.

The committee adds: “As previously instructed the committee accepts the offer of Judge Beeby to deal with the question of one or two pick-ups and is prepared to declare the overtime strike off.” The conference discussions will be held in camera. The owners explain that they only consented to attend the conference out of courtesy to the judge. The exemption of the pick-up question, they claim, has taken away the only basis for peace negotiations which the ownere would recognise. One declared that the only terms on which the owners would meet the men was the whole award and nothing but the whole award, which recognises two pick-ups. It is considered likely in shipping circles that if the conference should prove futile the shipowners will lose no time in taking steps to work ,the ships without the assistance of the Waterside, Workers’ Federation. Late this afternoon it was announced that a hitch had occurred in the Arbitration Court’s attempt to settle the waterside dispute and that the proposed conference between the shipowners and watersiders was postponed until 10.30 to-morrow morning. The shipowners’ representatives, upon arrival at the Court, were advised of the postponement, but no explanation was given as to the nature of the hitch

CALL FOR FREE LABOUR. IF NEGOTIATIONS FUTILE. Melbourne, Dec. 6. After the shipowners’ conferences to-day an announcement was made on their behalf to-night that, as the watersiders continued to refuse to work under the conditions of the award, they had no alternative but to call for other labour. *The door, however, was still left open. They will not take a decisive step until the decision of the Arbitration Court conference, called up Judge Beeby for to-morrow morning, is known. If it should prove futile they will then proceed to engage free labour. It is understood that before this decision was reached all the State Premiers were consulted by wire and assurances were received that in the event of free labour being called in the necessary protection would be forthcoming. The decision could not be acted upon at once. It will take some days probably to assemble and regulate non-unionists. It is stated that the Sydney owners are fully ready to follow any step taken in Melbourne.