STEWARDS' STRIKE.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 December 1920, Page 5

STEWARDS' STRIKE.

THE TROUBLE SPREADING.

FERRY SERVICE ENDANGERED.

IP BONUS NOT PAID. Sy Telegraph.—ProßS Association. I ChrisTehureh, Last Night. | The Christchurch Press understands that at of members of the Cook's' and Stewards' Union, held yesterday on board the ferry steamers, it was decided to hand in to-morrow the required twenty-four hours' notice of their intention to cease work. The notices will become effective on Monday, and it is possible the ferry service srill cease on that date unless the Union Company agrees to pay the bonus of £2 per month, demanded by the Union.

It is alleged by the cooks and stewards that in the event of an effort being made to run the vessels with volunteer cooks and stewards, the firemen will come out in support of the cooks and stewards.

Under tho Board of Trade regulations it is not compulsory for a vessel to carry cooks and stewards, although a crew must be provided for with a certain standard of food. This means that it is only necessary to carry a cook for the crew,/therefore, if necessary, the ferry steamers could be run without stewards unless the seamen and firemen acted in sympathy with the stewards. It is expec.cd' In Lyttelton they would do so, but up to a late h#ur to-night no instruction had been received from the headquarters of the Seamen's and Firemen's Union in Wellington.

ALL SAILINGS MAY BE CANCELLED. Received Dec. 18, 1.30 a.m. Sydney, Dec. 17. A meeting of the marine stewards decided unanimously to fight on, and that tlie next move must come from the employers and owners. It is stated that whether all the projected sailings will be cancelled will depend on the result of the meeting of the transport workers, who are considering what action to adopt

It is learned unofficially that the transporters decided to support the stewards, so, presumably, all sailings will be cancelled. ' °

It is announced from Melbourne that the seamen are also awaiting the result of the transporters meeting before they decide whether they will join the strike

POSITION UNDER REVIEW. Sydney, Dec. 17. _ A mags meeting of stewards this morning will review the position. The engineers, seamen, butchers and bakers view the hastv action of the stewards with disfavor. They point out that the strike meeting was not representative of the stewards' organisation.