GOVERNMENT MOVES IN WHARF DISPUTE

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5321, 6 February 1947, Page 5

GOVERNMENT MOVES IN WHARF DISPUTE

(Press Assn-

AUSTRALIAN SHIPPING watersider issue to go to arbitration court

-Rec. 9.30 p.rn.)

SYDNEY, Feb. 5. The Federal Government has intervenecl » in the "watersicler-s' dispute which threatens to tie up shipping in all Australian ports. The Minister of Supply .and Shipping-, Senator Ashley, saicl the Government had decided to refer the matter to the Federal Arbitration Court. Watersiders wh-o refused to accept work on the 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. shift yesterday have heen suspended in most Australian ports. In some of the larg-er ports, including Sydney, the unions have instructed the men to refuse work to-day unless those suspended are reinstated. Th Federal Council of the Waterside Workers' Federation has reaffirmed the decision that the men will work only between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. until they are granted two weeks' an-, nual holiday at £8 16s. a week, and 16s. appearance money for those who attend pick-ups but fail to get jobs. Mr. Ashley said that as holidays could not be granted until July 1, there was no need for direet action. All Big Ports Affected» The watersiders in Sydney, Meli.'uurne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Fremantle and Newcastle have all takou action, and to-day suspensions and refusal of work will eause shipping to be tied up at all these ports. Eight hundred watersiders are affected in Sydnejt, 40'0 in Melbourne, 1000 in Newcastle and 472 in Brisbane. The numbers will be quadrupled to-day. The employers say that the watersiders did not communicate to them ihe decision to ban overtiree. The only infolanation the employers have is contained in press reports.