Australian Waterfront War
p. 23 · Read in the full issue
If BP’s Application is Granted:— Unionists Threaten Another Australian Waterfront War
i ? u i ns and Company have applied to the Common wealth Department of Shipping and Transport for permission to (a) transfer the registration of their moter-vessels Bulolo, Male kula and Malaita from Australian to United Kingdom registry; (b) to sell any vessel at a satisfactory price; and (c) generally manage unprofitable shipping in the best interests of the company and stockholders.
AUSTRALIAN maritime Unions attach great importance to the move and are prepared to fight it vigorously. The Company would not comment, other than to state that the move is to counteract the losses which their vessels have in curred each year.
Union officials were not so re ticent. They interpret BP’s applica tion as the first move towards re placing the present all-Australian crews on these three Islands ships with Asians, who will work under less stringent conditions and at low wages.
They have enlisted the services of the Rt. Hon. Eddie Ward, and this former Minister for Territories has promised to bring the matter before Parliament and to endeavour to frustrate the company’s plans.
An announcement that eight new vessels will soon be put into the Australian coastal service by the Commonwealth Government, and will accommodate any men dis placed by possible changes in the Burns Philp fleet, has done nothing to soothe antagonistic union officials.
The company, by re-registering or selling the vessels, will place the population of New Guinea in a very precarious position, should any trouble eventuate in the East, they say.
Territorians, no doubt, will be surprised at this sudden concern for their welfare. However, the next move seems to be up to the Com monwealth Shipping Department. (Burns Philp’s ships run on the New Guinea service in competition with the three ships of the New Guinea Australia Line, which have Chinese crews. Although the NG-A ships are half the tonnage of the Bulolo, they are very popular with Territorians who appreciate the standard of service they get. Aus tralian-manned ships, they say, are “run by the stewards” who practic ally dictate when passengers may eat, sleep, rise and drink.)