Sacked!"

"Join Union or Be Sacked!"

New Guinea Goldfield Meets Militant Unionism

AS a result of commercial pig-headed ness, official stupidity and bureau cratic meddling, the goldfields industry of New Guinea has been brought under Australian trade union rules; and, in defiance of what appear to be the clearly expressed wishes of the majority of Europeans employed there, industrial machinery on Australian Labour Department lines is being fastened on this end of the tropical territory.

The thing started, some months ago, when the directors of New Guinea Gold fields Ltd. took an aloof and high handed attitude towards their European employees, who apparently had a few grievances; and so they precipitated a strike.

The strike should have been settled at once—but, although the Administrator came all the way from Rabaul, he appar ently did no more than make futile gestures, and the strike went on. The shrewd people thought it soon would fizzle out.

But the Australian Labour Party staged a very pretty threat in the House of Representatives, playing on the fact that the Government parties have a majority of only one; whereupon the panic-stricken and weak-kneed Aus tralian administration apologised to the world for the New Guinea strike, and hurriedly sent a former Labour organiser and present Commonwealth Labour Inspector, Mr. Arthur Blakeley, post-haste to New Guinea to settle matters there.

MR. Blakeley appears to have had the time of his life. He found himself in virgin country, where trade unions were unknown, and the foot of the Labour organiser had never trod.

Instead of effecting a reasonable settle ment, as between NGG Ltd. and its employees, he proceeded to organise a full-blown Labour Department machine, complete with registrar, awards, trade unions, etc., to control industrial opera tions in future on the Morobe Goldfield.

A great majority of Europeans on the

Morobe Goldfield are normal and sen sible men, and when they saw what Mr.

Blakeley was at they protested. A section of the NGG employees were all for Mr.

Blakeley, of course; but the balance of the NGG employees, and practically all the other Europeans—including the very numerous staff of Bulolo Gold Dredging Ltd. —were emphatic in their declaration that they did not want Mr. Blakeley and his elaborate plans, and that trade union machinery was not a good thing in a dark-skinned tropical territory, any how.

As luck would have it, while the argu ment was proceeding there came along the new Minister for the Territories, Mr.

McDonald; and this unfortunate gentle man, being quite ignorant of the condi tions which govern a tropical territory, gave a sympathetic ear to the urgent pleas of Mr. Blakeley, and finally told him to go right ahead with his plans, and promised that he, as Minister, would see to it that Canberra gave him all necessary authority under the National Security (Industrial Peace) Regulations.

The busy Mr. Blakeley found himself clothed with the authority of a czar.

On August 20, Mr. Blakeley announced that the gold-mining industry in New Guinea, in future, would be controlled by an industrial award; and, as he had been directed by Mr. McDonald to exer

cise the powers of a Conciliation Com missioner, as defined under the National Security Regulations, he duly made an industrial award which was published in detail in the “Morobe News” on August 30, and which has a currency of one year.

This award apparently gives prefer ence to unionists (that is, all mine workers in New Guinea must become members of the New Guinea and Papuan Miners and Workers’ Union within 28 days); an all-round increase of wages of about 18/- per week; a reduction of four hours in the working week; and some minor concessions.

Mr. Blakeley formally refused to recog nise any union other than the union named; and he issued an order that the latter, at an early date, should elect per manent officers with whom he might deal, as Conciliation Commissioner.

A meeting of members of the union elected Mr. J. Pollard as president, and Mr. K. Laurance as secretary.

MEANWHILE, on August 28, a very large meeting of the employees of Bulolo Gold Dredging Ltd. met in Bulolo and expressed, in strong terms, their resentment at a trade union being forced upon them in the manner de scribed. Their attitude towards the new union, and towards Mr. Blakeley and all his works, was hostile; and the following motions were carried by a large majority:— “(1) That we will not join this union under the terms stated in the award.

“(2) That the following radio be sent to the Prime Minister of Australia and the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Cur tin) ; ‘By overwhelming majority, BGD employees at meeting decided against compulsory joining of union as instructed by Commissioner Blakeley. Suggest you

hold up passing of Act until you receive our petition.”

However, as the result of the supine ness of the Administrator and the ignor ance of the new Minister, all that Mr Blakeley has done already has the force of law; which means that all goldfields employers must obey Mr. Blakeley’s new award, and all employees must join the union within 28 days, or be dismissed from their jobs.

There is much strong and bitter feel ing between the pro-Blakeley and anti- Blakeley groups, and Sydney newspapers have reported quarrelling and fighting among Europeans in the Morobe district.

It is one of the worst chapters in the tragic history of Australian Govern mental muddling in New Guinea.