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UNIONS AGAINST A
ONE-DAY STOPPAGE
Setback for Left-wing
Proposal
A left-wing proposal for a one-day national stoppage by
about 1,000,000 unionists next month in protest against the
employers' wage and hours applications was rejected by 292
votes to 108 at the special Trade Union Congress yesterday.
Congress adopted an A.C.T.U. executive recommendation
that unionists be asked to pledge their "firm resolve" to re
sist any order that may be made by the Arbitration Court to
increase hours or reduce wage standards.
The Federal Govern
ment will be asked to
conduct a price control
referendum in conjunc
tion with the 1953 Senate
election.
The pledge by unionists
will be sought at meet
ings throughout Australia
on Sunday, September 21.
The recommendation
charged employers' or
ganisations with endea
voring to create economic
panic so as to defeat full
employment and create a
percentage of unemploy
ment.
Prior to the meetings
midday factory and stop-
work meetings will be
held. ,
There was division of
opinions among Left-wing
delegates on the question
of a one-day stoppage,
and in the vote the .Rail
way delegation (including
the A.R.U. State secre
tary, Mr. Brown, and the
Federal secretary, ; Mr.
O'Brien) voted against a
stoppage.
Moving for a national
stoppage Mr. J. Healy
(general secretary of the
Waterside Workers' Fede
ration) -said a stoppage
was a more positive move
than the A.C.T.U."recom-
mendation.
Foolish Idea
. i. the employers'. apnlica-
tio|was;rthe mdstiKibus
attack' ever mdde: on the'
working class" and should
be met wich strong pro
test action.
Mr. F. E. Chamberlain
(W.A. member of the
A.C.T.U. executive), op-,
posing a stoppage, said it
was time the trade union,
movement 'stopped think
ing in "terms of the
Eureka Stockade." They
should be militant, but
they should also be intel
ligent.
It would be foolish to
think that the Arbitra
tion Court would be
greatly affected by a
one-day stoppage.
Mr. N. A. Gibbs (Manu
facturing Grocers) said it
would be better if union
ists were asked to devote
one day's pay to the cost
of the basic, wage and
hours case.
The secretary , of Mel
bourne Trades Hall Coun
cil (Mr. J. .V. Stout) , sup
porting the A.C.T.U. pro
posal, said, that Sunday
mass meetings h a a
proved futile and stupid.
Mr. Edgar Ross (Miners'
Federation) , described the
A.C.T.U. recommendation
as "confused, muddled
and misleading" and said
the miners would support
any stoppage suggestion.
Presenting the A.C.T.U.
recommendation, the sec
retary (Mr. R. R. Broad-
by) criticised Chief Judge
Sir Raymond Kelly's
statement on the econo
mic position.
A decision on whether
a compulsory levy should
be made on all unionists
linked with the A.C.T.U.
will be made by congress
this morning.
The A.C.T.U. executive
recommends the striking
of a levy of 2/ a male
member and 1/ a female
or junior member to meet
the cost of conducting the
basic wage and hours cake
in the Arbitration Court.
The levy would give the
A.C.T.U. over £70,000, and
out of this about £9000
would be absorbed in col
lection of the funds.
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