RAILWAYMEN’S ULTIMATUM.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 September 1919, Page 2

RAILWAYMEN’S ULTIMATUM.

railwaymen*s ultimatum. (By Electric Telegraphy-Copyright.) f AUSTHALIAN & N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION j ‘LONDON, September 24. -The Railway men in an ultimatum, leave the Government the alternatives to either declare their willingness to negotiate or make a fresh wages offer to the men. The newspapers state tha-fc the Railwaymen’s Executive is empowered to call a national strike, if they see fit, within twenty-four hours, without notice. ORDERS TO STRIKE' SENT. LONDON, September 24. | A decision to call a strike to-morrow ! has been telgraphed to all Railwaymen ! branches in the United Kingdom, i Subsequently Cabinet proposed the I National Union of Railway should con- | fer with Sir E. Geddes to-day. I It is believed that negotiations will ! be thus resumed. ! V | A SERIOUS POSITION. (Received This Day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, Sept. 24.

j Mr Thomas, replying to the Board I of Trade statement, declared the rail- | waymens ultimatum was issued because : the Executive believed the Government, i had said its last word. He now c«i- ---! sidered that it was not so, but Governi ment should know that a strike "as > 1 inevitable if the present offer was not :, improved. Mr Thomas added that Go- ■ : vernment must act quickly. | The executive of the Associated Socie- ■ ty of Loco men attended the meeting I _i? XTnIJ/vnnl TTnirmc

|or vue ixawviiax " j The “Daily Telegraph” states that ! although the Associated Society has its i own agreement it is considered likelj |it will co-operate with the National Union. Cabinet discussed the situation tonight for three hours. A Government ■' letter, marked “very urgent” was then delivered at the National Union s - headquarters, but Mr Thomas had al- | :(pady left. The Better wiM not be , opened till to-morrow. > ; _ ..

. an explanation. LONDON, September 24. i Though the contents of the Govern--1 ment’s communication is undisclosed, it ; possibly contains an. explanation on I the lines of the official statement issued through Mr Harwood, who is now economic adviser to the Ministry of Transport. According to the statement there apparently has been a misunderstanding. The railwaymen seem to have assumed that the war wages would automatically be abolished at the end of the war, resulting in a loss to the men now receiving more than the new standard wage, but the agreement does not say so. There is nothing to prevent the men trying to raise. the standard wage, or to secure the revision of the war wage, in order to meet the cost of living/ Mr Marwood adds that the question of continuing to rerevise the war wage will be considered before the end of the year applying to others besides railwaymen. He indicates that Sir A. Geddes will discuss the matter to-morrow with the executive.