LABOUR TROUBLES

Taihape Daily Times, 27 January 1919, Page 5

LABOUR TROUBLES

'AMERICAN LABOURERS' SYMPATHY. Received 9.30 a:m. LONDON, January 23. Mr. Landburg, interviewed, said he found the Americans most sympathetic to the labour charter, but fears an outbreak of Bolshevism in England and France unless the ruling classes keep their pledge that the world shall be a better place for the workers. STRIKE:, AND RUMOURSi OF STRIKES. SHORTER HOURS DEMANDED. Received 10.10 a.m. LONDON, January 24. The concessions granted to the Yorkshire miners apply only during the period of control. It is anticipated 95 per cent, of the strikers will' resume before Monday. The West Yorkshire Owners' Association communicated with the Miners' Association, protesting ihey did not cause the sudden stoppage, and deny that any work people had been locked out.

Thirty Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire collieries arc idle, involving 50,000 miners. The owners refuse to meet the mem until work is resumed. Several thousand miners at a mass meeting at Wansfield demanded that Mr. Smillie call a general strike of the miners within two days, and if that fails call out the Triple 'Alliance, comprising miners, railwaymen, and transport workers.

The unrest in South Wales is spreading-

The Bristol L-n»iiinel boilermakers are out in suppoit of the wages move* ment.

The belief is general i n Glas? that the advocates of direct industrial action are exploiting the shorter hours agitation as a method of calling a general strike on Monday unless 40 hours a week is conceded. This resembles an ultimatum, excluding the possibility of negotiation, and involves the employers in unconditional surrender or a strike.

The organisers of the movement held a meeting, at which they received reports from industrial centres i n

land, and set missions to attempt to bring the English workers into line. Mr. Clynes presided at a meeting of general workers (previously cabled) representing a million unionists. The meeting emphasised the necessity for shorter hours to enable the absorbtion of the greater number of demobilised men.