TRADES UNION

Hokitika Guardian, 14 February 1929, Page 3

TRADES UNION

AGAINST EXPLOITATION. (Australian • Press Association) MELBOURNE, February 12. The Australian Trades Union Council, sitting in Melbourne to-day, replied to Mr Latham, Federal Attorney General’s telegrams appealing for peace in the timber industry. The reply discloses an uncompromising attitude towards the Federal Arbitration Court.

The reply says: “The present industrial turmoil is the result of your Government’s attack on the workers’ conditions. Your Government can cure the position as easily as it. caused it, by. calling off the attacks on the worriers’ standards of living and on the vital forty-four hour principle.” Mr Latahnnv further replied, saying: “My Government declines to accept the suggestion that the decisions of the Arbitration Court are to lie accepted by the Unions only when in their favour. Trades Unions themselves joined in procuring the submission of the forty-four hour question to the Court. I greatly regret that you can give no better response to my. appeal than to repeat discredited political catchwords.” THE COURT’S ATTITUDE. MELBOURNE, -February 12. An application was made by the Federated Carters’ and Drivers’ Union to withdraw their claims from the Federal Arbitration Court to-clay. It was dismissed by Judge Lukin, who pointed out that no Union had a right to exercise the option to withdraw its claims from the Court without the consent oif the respondents.

TAXI DRIVERS HELD UP. SYDNEY, February 13. On two successive nights armed men, known as taxi bandits, have held up taxi drivers at the revolver point and robbed them of all their money. Other cases are thought to have occurred but tbe victims have been terrorised into keeping quiet.