The Limit Reached

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 194, 14 February 1914, Page 5

The Limit Reached

WORKERS' UNREASONABLEDEMANDS. EMPLOYERS WITH THEIR BACKS TO THE WALL. LEGISLATION REGARDED AS INEFFECTIVE. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright 1 Sydney, February 13. At the conference of butchers and masters, the latter renewed the offer of a 49 1 / a hours' week and 5s increase in wages, but the men did not agree to the employers' terms. A mass meeting of all the employees of the meat trade takes place to-day. A meeting of representatives of all unions likely to be affected in the event of a butchers' strike discussed what steps should be taken. No information was given as to the decisions arrived at. It is believed a strike is inevitable. ,

Received 13, 9.45 p.m. Sydney, February 12. Since the breaking of the New Zealand strike, there has been a growing movement among Australian employers in the direction of unity for resisting the employees' constant demands for higher wages and shortened hours. The wharfmen's lazy strike and the butchers' trouble added a strong impetus to the movement.

The following is the Employers' Federation ukase issued by the conference to-day:—"The pastoralists, Farmers' Associations, and all trades directly or indirectly allied to the meat industry fcave decided to unite in firmly resisting the butchering ' employees' demands."

They discussed a proposal to withdraw the employers' offer to the strikers, and finally a resolution wsa adopted appointing a permanent committee to deal with the disputes. Speeches indicated that employers had reached the limit. A Compromise Committee was subsequently appointed, and representatives will meet the Minister of Labor. 11 was also decided to supply hospitals and other Government institutions with meat, and anyone holding stocks of meat in cold storage are to be to place, them at the committee's disposal. When the men attended the Glebe Island abbatoirs to-day, they found, with the exception of one or two establishments, all work had ceased. Hundreds are idle. The men claim this constitutes a lock-out. Received 12, 8.5 p.m. ] Sydney, February 12. The Federation has issued an important official declaration. After reviewing the lazy and other strikes, and the flouting of awards, it says the failure of industrial legislation as a preventive of strikes was never more clearly demonstrated than at the present time. Unions were endeavouring by means of sectional demands to secure wages and working conditions, which, if granted in all grades of workers, would cripple the industrial and commercial progress and greatly increase the cost of living. The principle, or want of principle, whereon the industrial award is based encourages the unions to come forward individually and secure continual increases of wages and the lessening ot hours of industrial work. The Wages Boards apparently fail to consider the effects of the awards upon industrial conditions as to the whole, and every concession secured by one union was used as a lever to secure advantages by other groups which would probably otherwise have no chance of substantiating their claims. Increased pay in one section of the industry was not a very serious handicap to the industry, but when multiplied many times it was obvious they were travelling in a vicious circle. The Federation reached the conclusion that the time had arrived to shew united resistance in the interests of the general public, who, after all, have to betir the burden. Eeceived 12, 10.15 p.m. Sydney, February 12. The Conference Tesolved to withdraw the recent offer made ■ by the retail butchers and declined by the Butchers' Union, and have appointed a permanent Committee to deal with the dispute.

The general impression is that there is more in the employers' attitude than appears on the surface. Frequent references wore made at the employers' meetings of the New Zealand and South African strikes, and indicate the conclusions drawn therefrom, and that, if pushed further, they will not decline a fight to a finish along the whole line. OUTLOOK OMINOUS. BOTH SIDES DETERMINED. Received 14, 1.10 a.m. Sydney, February 13. The strike outlook is ominous. In an interview with the Minister of Labor, representatives from both sides failed to find a solution. The council met the Employees' Union of Australasia to-night, and decided it could not accept the compromise offered on Thursday, which, in the meantime, the employers had withdrawn.

Both sides are apparently determine-], and there is a probability that other trades will be involved unless the deadlock is quickly removed. It is understood that both sides have received promises of support. The Labor Council, for the present at any rate, will not intervene, as the Meat Employers' Union is not an affiliated union, and has not so far asked for support.