PUBLIC APATHY

White Ribbon, Volume 20, Issue 5, 1 June 1948, Page 7

PUBLIC APATHY

SYDNEY BREWERY STRIKE The Commonwealth Government lias lost about £500,000 as a result of the nine-weeks-old beer strike in Sydney. During that period about 2,000,000 gallons of beer, the excise duty on which is 4/7 a gallon, have not been produced. Overseas visitors note with amazement tint during the currency of the 'trike no concrete protest has been made by the unions, trade organisations, or drinking public, though the strike ha> all the appearance of an u n necessary stoppage. Nine weeks ago, maintenance men in the breweries went on strike over a collections of claims, the most important of which seemed to be that they wanted access to the telephone and canteen in working hours, writes the »pecial corrc'pondent of the New Zealand Press Association. They refused conciliation, and as the employers granted several of the claims the strikers produced stronger i'sues, such as four weeks’ holiday and provision for three weeks’ sick leave annually. Further attempts at conciliation have been met with a truculent refusal to compromise. Phis attitude lias, continued despite the fact that the strike has been condemned by the licensed victualling trades group of unions as frivolous and ill-timed. The strikers, who number 256, are completely alone. Their fellowunionists ha\e refused all help and have e\en declined to make collections to defray strike expenses. The attitude of the public and the Trades and Labour Council alike is hostile to the* strikers who stolidly refuse to take advantage of the arbitration system. Unionist truck drivers have repeatedly crossed the picket lines to remove consignments of spirits and aerated waters from the breweries. Everything seems to he against the strike —except an outburst of public opinion which would bring it to a speedy conclusion. “During more than two months a beverage popularly supposed to be indispensable has been virtually unobtainable, yet there has been no outcry sufficient to influence a settlement.” comments the “Sydney Morning Herald.” "In fact the police and ambulance authorities, their duties substantially lessened, suggest that for them the beer drought has been a blessing in disguise.” Australian newspapers advance the alarming theory that Australian consumers have been so schooled to accept deprivations and departmental dictation during the post-war years that their capacity for effect’ve action has been replaced by a spirit of apathy and resignation.