LABOR TROUBLES.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 January 1919, Page 5

LABOR TROUBLES.

STORM CENTRE NOW' ON TJffi ' CLYDE. A GENERAL STOPPAGE LIKELSf

Received January -29, S 45 p.m.

iuondon, Jan. 27. The labor storm centre is now on tai> Clyde. The position is uncertain, as it is unknown what support the BtriU* leaders eommand.

There has been a series of meetings over the week-end. Some favored an immediate strike. Others a postponement; yet others favored awaiting ments.

latest reports indicate the stoppage will be general. Several of the largest yards and works, including Ilarland and Wolf and Beardmore and Co., are in volved.

There is some uncertainty "regarding the municipal strike in Glasgow.

It is now believed that the tramwaymen and electrical workers will remain at their posts, but there is a greater likelihood that the bakers will strike.

A mass meeting of Forth shipyard workers and engineers resolved to strike to-day: T!\e national union of railwayman at' a meeting in London also demanded meals hours included in an eight hour day, and expressed willingness to support a sixhour day.—Aus.-NZ- Cable Assn.

MANAGERS AND FOREMEN. 7

THREATEN TO STOP WORK.

Received Jan. 20, 10.30 p.m.

London, Jan. 2S. Tlie colliery managers and foremen in South Wales have formed a union, and applied for a minimum wage and i shorter hours. The coal owners are given fourteen days to recognise the union, otherwise the managers and foremen will stop work.

CLYDE STRIKE COMMENCES. 40,000 WORKERS AT BELFAST t, IDLE. :j g

Received Jan. 29, 11.10 p.m. LondoD, Jan. 27. Four thousand Manchester dockers struck owing to the foreman refusing to join the union.

The Clyde strike has commenced. Most of tho yards are affected, but nowhere is there general stoppage. Forty thousand Belfast workers are idle.

SERIOUS POSITION AT BELFAST.

... London, Jan. 28. The position in Belfast is serious. The streets are in darkness and candles are the only means of lighting houses. Church services are abandoned. In the hospitals, where there are many soldiers, the cooks are unable to prepare meals. Many industries are likely to be paralysed by Monday, including the spinning and weaving mills, bakeries, shipbuilding and engineering. °

The strike at Belfast began quietly. Forty thousand are out. The railwaymen's conference in London to-day carried a resolution taking a serious view of the Premier's so-called apathy respecting the railwaymen's demands for higher wages and improved working conditions, adding that if the Government desires to prevent a national stoppage on February 9 it must negotiate immediately. The most notable feature of the strikes is that all are unauthorised by the Trades Union leaders. They are mostly organised by shops committeec,. The Hon. R. S, Home is not interfering because the Ministry of Labor must support the Trades Union executive.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc.

STRIKES GENERAL

due to pernicious propaganda. Received Jan. 30, 1 a.m. London, Jan. 23. The London strike was precipitated by the Thames shop stewards who were indignant at a fortnight's fruitless negotiations on the question of advances. They called a meeting for Sunday, which decided by an overwhelming majority to stop work.

Ihe Glasgow strike began in a snowstorm. The municipal services are not affected. Ihe strike officials declare that tlie men still at work will come out on Tuesday. The Edinburgh strikers came out in defiance of last week's agreement, when tho employers conceded a forty-seven hours week.

All the Belfast shipyards, engineering shops, electric power stations, and gasworks closed down together. The spinning and other factories are dependent upon gas and electricity. Workmen and work-girls promenaded the town, despite the blinding snowstorm. The shipbuilding employers are considering the adviseableness of a lockout until after Easter

Tlie grave-diggers have joined the movement.

The Daily Express political correspondent says the industrial unrest is causing the Government much anxiety. Mr. Bonar Law ia remaining in London to watch developments. The lack of discipline in trade union ranks is due to the pernicious propaganda which has been waged in industrial areas during the war, but the time is coming when the Government will find it impossible to put the screw on the employers in settlement of disputes. A Welsh Democratic League has been formed to conduct propaganda for sound progressive reform to counteract the activities of the revolutionary bodies.— Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. 4 London, Jan. 28. The Fifeshire miners' strike is collapsing, many thousands having resumed work.

The shipyard on the Thames confe'-sd with a view if approaching the strikers. —Times Serviw.