STRIKE CAMPAIGN.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 February 1921, Page 5

STRIKE CAMPAIGN.

BY AUSTRALIAN UNIONS. TO COMPEL CONCESSIONS. Br Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Sydney, Feb, 23. The Herald states that at the recent All - Unions Conference held in Melbourne, a scheme was prepared on behalf of Sydney unions embodying the greatest concerted effort ever attempted to compel the conceding of their demands. The immediate objectives were to compel shipowners to abandon their demands for the peaceful working of the shipping industry, secondly, to compel the Victorian Government to accept the award of the coal tribunal governing the Mor well coal scheme; thirdly, the abolition of the bureau system of engaging wharf laborers by oversea shipowners. a The Herald says it it understood that owing to the presence of certain unions known to have a leaning towards arbitration, the discussions were carried on •by private conversations and the decisions communicated only to those unions known to be favorable to direct action.

The principal unions involved are the Colliery Employees’ Federation, the seamen, wharf laborers, coal trimmers, coal lumpers, and the unions associated under the Transport Workers’ Federation. The arguments used in favor of the scheme were that the present shipping and other troubles were being used by the employers as a direct challenge to unionism, arid thaL the employers were importing men learned in strike-breaking to assist and advise them. The Herald adds‘that the organisers of the scheme have been instructed to confine actual strikers New South Wales, the anticipation being that the cutting off of coal supplies would cause a general hold-up of industry in Melbourne, and will achieve more than strikes can without the possibility of the Victorian Government formulating retaliatory measures. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.