The strike of seamen employed by the China Merchants' S. N. Ca, has ended.
A settlement was brought. about late last Friday night. By noon on Saturday the crews had returned to their ships. AT] the men's demands, of which the most important was that they should be paid according to the Hongkong Wages Award of March 5 last, have been granted. The company did, however, decline to agree to the increased wages—bringing the pay of firemen up to $31.20 and seamen $28.80 per month—being payable as from January 1. At length both parties consented to the proposal that' the increment should date from May 1.
An important concession made by the company is that it must, if requested, inquire into the circumstances involving the dismissal of a member of the Union, should the Union consider that he has been unjustly treated.
After a strike of over three weeks the first move to end the conflict was made on Wednesday of last week, when one of the directors China Merchants' S. N.
Mr. Sheng, called at the Union. He requested that it should send a delegate to the company's office. For some reason when the vice-president 2 the Union called upon the directors he was not received, but it was realized that the situation had evidently taken a promising turn, for on the same day another inter-me diary from the company ap: proached the Union. He told the men's representative that the company were this time in earnest.
Last Friday a full consultation attended by the representatives of both parties took place at the Bund offices of the company. AIT the directors were present with the exception of Mr. Fu Siao-an. After a conference lasting until 9 p.m. the terms of the men were agreed to with the exception of the clause relating to thornen receiving the new scale of wages as from the beginning of the year. A compromise, as stated, was reached over this point.
Although there were no stormy scenes, if. is reported that two of the directors maintained a firm attitude to the end, fighting bard to wreck the conference.
The terms of the signed agreement are as follows:—1. That wages of all seamen be increased by 30 per gent. on river steamers and by 20 Per cent. on coasting vessels.
2, That the increase be yetroactive to May 1, 1922.
3. That no deduction of salary or imposition of penalties be undertaken on any striker or strikers after resumption of work.
4. The China Merchants' S. N. Ca. has full power to discharge any seamen or fireman who is a member of the Union employed on
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.