AUSTRALIAN COUNTRY WORKERS

Hokitika Guardian, 20 November 1920, Page 4

AUSTRALIAN COUNTRY WORKERS

SOME AMAZING CLAIMS. SYDNEY, Nov. 9. The most powerful union in Australia is the A.W.U. —Australian Workers’ Union. The bulk of its members are the unclassified workers of the country districts. Therefore, it lias a powerful voice in all industrial matters affecting the country. The A.W.U. is so powerful that it is actually the Tammany Hall of Labour. It practically controls the labour movement, nominates and breaks politicians, dominates the Caucus which says wlmt tire labour government shall and shall not do. It is at this .moment trying to make Hie Labour Government do its bidding and because the Labour Premier, Mr Storey, is resisting its arrogant demands, it is preparing to break him. But that is another story.

Australia is preparing for one of the biggest harvests in her history. Sowing has been generous and tbe season completely favourable. From Northern New South Wales, through Victoria and South Australia, right round to Western Australia, there are hundreds and hundreds of square miles of well-laden wheat, coming to fruition under a hot sun. The farmers are jubilant, they are looking to this harvest to recoup them for the heavy losses they suffered in last year’s drought.

But now the A.W.U. lias taken a hand. It has announced that the country workers will not assist in the harvesting or handling of the wheat unless a new scale of wages and new conditions are granted. The wages asked for are beyond words ridiculous. There is to be—according 'to the A.W.U.—a 44licurs’ week, strictly enforced. Imagine it—a 44-hours’ week in harvest time! Unskilled labourers and cooks are to receive a minimum of about £6 per week, wet or fine. And the A.W.U. does not suggest any negotiations with these claims as a basis. They are to be granted forthwith, otherwise no work is to be done.

The farmers are either amused, or defiant, according to .their temperaments. They are determined not to grant the demands, and they declare they can organise sufficient free labour to carry out harvesting. Organisation of this labour is now proceeding. Meanwhile, the A.W.U. says: “It is just as well to point out that there is a different Government in power to-day than there was iii 1917 when the Holman-Fuller Government- used the forces of the State to smash the strike and beat the workers,” which, of course, means that an attempt will be made to use the Government to assist the strikers. A very nice row is likely to develop.