WATERSIDERS SUPPORT COOKS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 363, 25 May 1928, Page 9

WATERSIDERS SUPPORT COOKS

GRAVE TURN IN STRIKE POSITION BIG UNION SPLIT MAY FOLLOW (United P.A.—By Telegraph — Copyright) Reed. 10.10 a.m. SYDNEY, To-day. THE Labour Council of Sydney carried a resolution supporting the cooks in their strike. At Melbourne, the waterside workers have decided to do likewise. The situation is gloomy.

There is still no sign o£ a settlement of the dispute with the cooks. It is now 11 weeks since the Ulimaroa was held up. Business men are urging an increase in the cargo fleets in order to meet trading needs. In the Federal House of Representatives at Canberra to-day the Treasurer, Dr. Earle Page, said that if a request were made by the proper persons for the temporary suspension of the coastal clauses of the Navigation Act, in view of the stoppage of shipping activites caused by the marine cooks’ strike, the Government would give due consideration to it. At a meeting of the Australian and New Zealand Council of Trades Unions and maritime union officials it was decided to ask the Trades Hall councils throughout Australia to decide whether the Trades Union Council is to continue to control the cooks’ dispute with the authority of the rest of the industrial movement, or whether the cooks are to be allowed to defy the whole movement., TUDEHOPE BACK AGAIN DECLINES INTERVENTION WATERSIDERS 1 SUPPORT Reed. 9.5 a.m. MELBOURNE, To-day. Mr. J. Tudchope, Federal Secretary of the Marine Cooks’ Union, has reached Melbourne again. At a meet-

ing of the Trades Hall Council last night, the following letter, in reply to the invitation to Mr. Tudehope to attend, was read: “I respectfully desire to inform you that I am at present engaged in negotiating for a settlement of the cooks’ dispute. I feel it would be inadvisable for me to take part in your proceedings.” Mr. Tudehope, however, was a listener iu the visitors’ gallery. The industrial officers of the various shipping companies are at present conferring as to the number and quality of the volunteer labour offering, so that in the event of the strike continuing a definite move can be made on an appointed date to man the ships with free labour. The union officials do not treat this threat seriously. GREAT SPLIT FEARED The Waterside Workers’ Federation has informed the Council of Trade Unions that it is standing behind Mr. Tudehope and the Cooks’ Union in the dispute with the shipowners. This decision will have far-reaching effects on the waterfront and it may develop into the greatest union split in the industrial history of Australia. The decision was reached after an interview between Mr. Tudehope and the management committee of the federation. It means that the waterside workers and the cooks are now ranged together against the Council of Trade Unions and the whole of the other maritime unions.