The Card System and Railway Strike Sydney (1917)

The Maitland Daily Mercury 1 August 1917

                                                                     SYDNEY, Wednesday. 

There are no further developments in connection with the threatened strike as the result of the refusal of the Railway Commissioners to withdraw the card system, but anything may happen within the next 24 hours. If a crash does come, it will be an entire suspension of work connected with the railways and tramways.

If the engineers come out the vital part of all railway and tramway work must be affected. The engineers and ironworkors are absolutely emphatic in their pronouncement that there is not a corner of the State to which messages have not been sent, and where preparations have not been made for a cessation of work as soon as the word is given.

The secretary of the Moulders' Union says he thinks it will be only a matter of a day or two before the whole railway service is disorganised. Over 1000 members of the Federated Iron Workers' Association will be affected if a cessation of work comes about.

The secretary declares that unless the cards are withdrawn the men will strike hard, added, "This is going to to be one of the biggest strikes on record."

There was great indignation in union circles today when it became known that the Railway and Tramway Commissioners had replied to the ultimatum regarding the card system at Randwick by extending the same methods to Eveleigh workshops. Practically it was an indiscreet oversight, and it is believed now that nothing can avert a strike.