END OF WATERSIDE STRIKE

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 222, 8 December 1927, Page 1

END OF WATERSIDE STRIKE

WORK RESUMED THIS MORNING OWNERS DISSATISFIEO 'WITH TERMS THE waterside strike in Australia has ended. Work was resumed this morning. The shipowners are not altogether satisfied with Mr. Justice Beeby’s terms, and are displeased at the fact that they were not permitted to have counsel appear for them at yesterday’s conference. Also, there is a suggestion that the men have scored a point, in that the interim award which was made does not meet the owners’ claim for two calls of labour at all ports. In the meantime, the Arbitration Court will consider the men’s grievances. By Cable. — Press Association. — Copyright.

Reed. 10.5 a.m. SYDNEY, To-day. An official statement by the ovei> sea shipowners announces that they have received cable, advice accepting the conditions laid down, by Mr. Justice Beeby, and work will Ije resumed to-day. The strike lasted seven days, affected more than 50,000 workers, and resulted in a loss of wages of approximately £150,000. There are 25 oversea steamers of an aggregate tonnage of 175,456 in Sydney waiting to work cargo, and the owners have suffered enormous losses. It will be necessary to work overtime on nearly all the wharves in an endeavour to make up the delay. The owners are stated to feel very deeply the manner in which they were dealt with in the dispute, especially as counsel for the owners

were prevented from discussing the matter in court yesterday. The obligation on them, however, is to obey the law, and they will do so and allow the case to be investigated by Mr. Justice Beeby. The Sydney “Morning Herald,” commenting on the statement, says: “A serious aspect is that the order made by the court concedes temporarily to the union an important point, and so will tend to justify direct action by the union as an adjunct to arbitration.” The article concludes: “Without penalties for the course of conduct it pursued, without loss of its forceful gains in regard to the crucial pickup matter, and with only assurances that are no more binding than the others previously made and broken, the Waterside Workers’ Union is restored to especially favourable standing in the court. What is likely to be the effect of that upon other strong unions that are inclined to mix judicial arbitration with mass action in proportions to suit themselves? We fear it may not be good.” The strike caused such a widespread dislocation of inter-State cargo and passenger services that much time will elapse before normal trade is restored. In many instances the crews of vessels were paid off, and in a number of cases the owners may not ffind it convenient to recommission the ships immediately. With the exception of the Tasmanian services, which were exempted from the strike, there are now only two inter-State passenger vessels in commission. The cargo of the Ulimaroa will be discharged before the vessel’s departure to-morrow. A large proportion of the coalminers made idle through the strike will be unable to resume for several days, while a long period must elapse before some of the mines in the northern fields will be restarted. GETTING UP STEAM A message sent from Sydney last night read as follows:—The steamer

ACTION BY COURT

Waikouaiti, which had been held up by the strike, left Sydney for Newcastle to-night, with her original crew. She returns to Sydney to finish loading.

Overseas steamers which, since the strike began have been lying in the stream, are getting up steam to-night in readiness to come up to the wharves to-morrow morning. The watersiders claim that it the shipowners decline to accept the labour offering to-morrow morning, the men will be in a position to claim a lock-out, and to again approach the Arbitration Court.

They also declare that if any company engages free labour a general strike will follow. —A. and N.Z.

AN INTERIM AWARD UNION WARNED MELBOURNE, Wednesday. After the meeting of the parties to the waterside dispute in the Arbitration Court this morning it was announced that the waterside workers would return to work cn the present award conditions, which include two calls for labour each day, pending consideration of their case by the Court. When the meeting commenced the president of the Court, Mr. Justice Beeby, said he had been officially Informed that the management committee of the Waterside Workers’ Federation had carried a motion that a telegram be' sent to each branch of the federation informing its members that the overtime embargo had been lifted, and instructing them to resume work under the terms of the award. Another resolution had been carried, under which the committee advised members of the federation to carry out the award and see that Its terms were enforced.

The Judge said the Court would not view these resolutions as a mere formality. If there were any doubt as to the sincerity of the management committee, or as to its control over its members, the Court would refuse to hear it further. He warned the union that the Court was of opinion that substantial changes in the conduct of its affairs was necessitated. Interference by vigilance officers must cease. The undertaking given to the Court must carry with it the abandonment of branch and local rules which were in conflict with the award. Restrictions on the handling of cargo must cease. Any new award would always be open to both parties. An endeavour would be made to visit all the important ports of Australia, so that a thorough understanding of conditions could be obtained. If the final award failed to reach the requirements of the union, then the union must be prepared to face an application for its deregistration.

INTERIM AWARD Commenting on the present dispute, the Judge said there was doubt that the owners had been compelled to tie up their ships. He was also convinced

with the hearing of the case next week.

Mr. Morris, for the waterside workers, said he would like Judge Beeby, if possible, to fix up the question of one labour call. The Judge replied that he was not going to say anything about that. All he was going to say about the future movements of the Court with regard to that question was contained in the statement he had previously given. The question would be put before him because it was a burning issue, aud he thought it was not advisable to enter into a general discussion upon it. What he had done had- to be considered by both parties. GRAVE EMERGENCY Mr. Elford, for the owners: Is this award completed, or is it merely a notice to the parties—will they not have time to consider it? The Judge answered that he had made this award on the question of labour calls. Mr. Elford said they had counsel’s opinion that an award could not be made without the parties being heard. The Judge replied that he was not going to enter into that controversy. There were moments of grave emergency when the Court must act. After serious consideration he was convinced that he had done the best thing in the circumstances. It in no way prejudiced the matter, which was being thoroughly investigated. It simply put the position where it was when the dispute started. The hearing of the case was adjourned sine die.-—A. and N.Z.

OWNERS DISSATISFIED

QUESTION OF CALLS MELBOURNE, Wednesday. The shipowners are dissatisfied with Mr. Justice Beeby's award, which they contend means that for the next three months there will be two labour calls In Sydney, where that has previously been the custom, but only one in Melbourne and other capital cities, where one call has been the rule. They claim that one call is not an observance of the award and want two calls generally enforced. They announce that they have considered the Judge’s ruling and come to a decision upon it, which they have cabled to all overseas interests concerned. They are waiting for a reply. The Management Committee of the Waterside Workers’ Federation expresses satisfaction with the Court's award, and claims that the men have won their point regarding one cal], except at Sydney. They have telegraphed to the officers of the federation in all ports instructing members to offer for work to-morrow morning, and to see that the award is strictly carried out on botn sides. The men at Sydney have been instructed tc offer for two calls.—A. and N.Z.