A BOMBSHELL

Hokitika Guardian, 5 July 1929, Page 2

A BOMBSHELL

FOlt UNION OFFICIALS

WAGES CUT DOWN

SYDNEY, June 20

A bombshell lias fallen among the officials of the Autsralian Seamen's Union —that is to say, what is left of the Union. At a lively meeting i:, Sytluey it was decided to reduce the salaries of all the officials by at least £2, and in some cases by more than £3. The Union lias done this by striking a general rate of £7 all round, notwithstanding that some of the positions are far more important than the others. Thus the Union has put into practice one oi the most important of all Union principles, that of equal pay for all, out it lias not had the same regard for the nio-n vital of all principles, namely, that there shall be no reduction in wages Seamen have been outstanding in their determination to fight for higher wages and fewer hours, and until their_organisation oollapsed as the result of the undermining of internal strife, they were militant in the extreme, and even now they pass harmless resolutions now and again protesting agaiiist the wages attack that i 8 being made on the miners and the timbermen.

As the result of the action of the seamen several of the prominent officials, including the secretary of tig’ New South Waleß Branch (Mr Fleming) have resigned, and it is said 1 that all the officials throughout Australia are prepared to do the same. Mind,- they do not call it a strike Unionists never strike. They are always locked out, and it is nresitnmd that Mr Fleming and li'is fellow officers will say that they have been locked out, and perhaps newspaper statements can be expected from both of them. But will the Union say that their officials are on strike? The whole point is very interesting and novel, to say the least of it. Anyhow, it looks as if this will be the beginning of the end of the Union as at present constituted'. It seems as though the Union will be placed in a hopeless position. Last week Mr Jacob Johnson was thrown overboard, meeting the same fate as Air Walsh. Mr Fleming was perhaps the only prominent official left in the Union. After Mr Johnson had been removed owing to “neglect of duty,” Air Fleming was asked to become general secretary, but he refused. The salary lor the general secretary was £lO 10s a week but now it has been reduced to £7. The salaries of the branch secretaries have been reduced from £9 2s 6d, and that of assistant secretaries from £8 2s 6d. A section of the seamen assert that the new move was initiated by the extremists." “I cannot see my way clear to accept any less than I have been getting in the job,” said Air Fleming. “It is a deliberate attempt to break up the Union, and I am confident that the other Union officials will take the step that I have taken.” It is explained that the finances of the Union are in a parlous state, and it ip certain that the Union is no longer a fighting force.