5 SEPTEMBER 1925, Page 1

NEWS OF THE WEEK

THE strangely widespread shipping strike has been the most remarkable event of the week. Ostensibly the strike is against a reduction of wages, and if this were the whole cause it would be impossible to withhold sympathy from the men. But the reduction had been already agreed to and there is no excuse for those men who having made a bargain through their duly appointed representatives are now breaking their word. Obviously if this kind of strike succeeds a very heavy blow indeed will be dealt at Trade Unionism. Trade Unionism has won its way to high repute and the whole system of collective bargaining is unquestioningly accepted by the, modern employer. But this acceptance postulates that when a Trade Union executive has made a bargain, that bargain shall be regarded as a sacred contract until by means of due notice and negotiation it has been replaced by another. Whether strikers who throw over their own officials Win or lose, Trade Unions are bound to suffer.