SEAMEN SUPPORT COOKS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 378, 12 June 1928, Page 1

SEAMEN SUPPORT COOKS

Maritime Unions Divided

STRONG PRESSURE TOWARD SETTLEMENT THE Australian shipping hold up continues to be clouded in uncertainty. The striking cooks apparently have not the unqualified support of the other maritime unions. The watersiders are continuing to work, but the Seamen’s Union has instructed its members not to offer themselves when the call is made for manning the idle ships. Meantime strong pressure in favour of a settlement is being applied. (United P.A. — By Telegraph — Copyright) (Australian Press Association)

Reed. 10.16 a.m. SYDNEY, To-day.

The Trades Union Council and the Maritime Unions have instructed all th° unionists to continue working until otherwise instructed. The Seamen’s Union, however, has instructed its members not to offer themselves.

Mr. Duggan and Mr. Croft, president and secretary respectively of the

Trades Union Council, telegraphed to Mr. J. Tudehope, “Strongly suggest you should instruct your members 10 r sume immediately. Position more than critical. Will assist in every manner possible to adjust the details after resumption.’’

The seamen manned the Loongana at Melbc-'~"e yesterday, nd the vessel sailed for Launceston without cooks, in the presence of 2,000 spectators. At Brisbane, the local branch of the Cook-’ ’" ■’’on instructed its solicitor to apply to the Commonwealth Arbitration Court for d'registration C the Marine Union on the ground that the rules were not being carried out in a bona fide manner. It is expected the hearing will begin in Sydney on Monday next. Mr. H. Snell, the Brisbane branch secretary, announces that he received a telegram from Mr. Tudehope, advising the cooks to stand solidly, as the union has the support of the seamen and watersiders.

Mr. Tudehope’s advice was rejected, the men offering for re-employment immediately. At Adelaide the seamen decided to carry on, men offering for all the ships. CALL MADE AT SYDNEY There was ready response in Sydney to the official call made yesterday morning for free labour to man the galleys of steamers. Fifty cooks applied. Some demonstration occurred when the master of the Mildura sought to engage seamen. Unionists jeered him and engaged in a hunt for the non-unionists, some of whom were thrown out of doors by enraged sympathisers with the cooks. After the meeting yesterday of the marine transport group of cooks their decision was announced, that they are prepared to man all the ships immediately, on the terms of the suspended award, leaving the original cause of the dispute, the manning of the Ulimaroa, for later discussion, if the owners are willing. “A RED HERRING”

It is understood that the cooks’ terms do not include the abolition of the roster. The owners say the cooks’ offer is simply a red herring. Men continued to offer for work on the Mildura, although firemen were diffident, in face of the onlooking unionists who jeered at the men who signed on. Five hundred men answered the call for free labour for ships at Melbourne. At Brisbane the cooks informed the shipowners that they were prepared to go to the southern ports to man the galleys.