STAY-IN STRIKER'S DISMAL SUNDAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 134, 8 June 1936, Page 7

STAY-IN STRIKER'S DISMAL SUNDAY.

FRENCH UNREST

Premier Meets Delegates of Masters and Men. POSITION STILL CRITICAL United Press Association.—Copyright. (lieceived 11 a.m.) PAR IS, June 7. 31 Blum, the Prime Minister, presided over a conference of employers an d workers' unions, which agreed that the employers should recognise the unions and accept the principle of increased wages and recognise the workers' delegates. Meantime, thousands of strikers spent a dismal Sunday in indicated factories, tellin" stories, singing, chatting and playing cards. The self-interned strikers have scrupulously respected their em - j,lovers' property. M. Salengro, Minister of the Interior, leclares that the situation is easier and extends the hopes of an early settlement. Nevertheless, for the first time in liistorv, the famous Blue Train did not run owing to an extension of the strike to the sleeping car company's employees and restaurant car attendants. Fetrol distributing stations will open to-morrow. Meantime, water, gas, electricity, buses and underground railways are functioning. Milk is delivered and the markets are open. The builders, however, have decided to strike tomorrow. Sunday newspapers were published as a result" of a midnight agreement with the news agents, wlio opened their kiosks but lack of transport restricted supplies. Many strikes were settled late last .light, but "were counter-balanced by new disputes. The situation is worse at Lille, where even hotels and restaurants closed today owing to the waiters striking. Spread of Strike Epidemic. While M. Blum was announcing his "new deal" in the Chamber of Deputies yesterday the strike epidemic was still spreading to additional industries. Although 107 disputes had been settled up to yesterday, it is estimated that 1,000,000 people are idle. Forty factories are closed at Roubaix. The most serious development yesterday was the decision of the miners of the Nord and the Pas de Calais to strike on Monday. Railwaymen in the Lens district have struck, rendering thousands of miners and steelworkers idle. The canals are affected and traffic is at a standstill, barges being moored in the fairway. Locksmiths, earpetniakers, upholsterers, tanners, cement-makers, wine bottlers and printers have struck in numerous tonus and additional textile workers have struck at Roubaix, Lille and surrounding towns. The movement has spread to Paris, where 20,000 clothiers in cheap garment factories came out, but fashionable firms are not affected. . The drivers of ffonr lorries have struck in Pari*, thus reviving fears of a food shortage and causing a rush to scantily-stocked shops.. The gas workers at Versailles have ceased work, leaving the town practically without light. Parisians had difficulty in finding amusements at the week-end. The shortage of petrol prevented motoring. The theatres and cinemas were open, but threatened, and many sporting fixtures were cancelled. Newspaper Offices Attacked. Strikers attacked the offices of the Paris newspaper "Le Soir" and destroyed formes and type. Others tore up editions of the "L'lnstransigeant" and burned the papers in the street. There is considerable speculation as to whether M. Blum's new measure? will improve the situation, as the workers are aware of the- slowness of legislation. Even if it is sgieeded up by the Chamber it must pass the committees and the Senate. Therefore, there is no prospect of an immediate fulfilment of M. Blum's promises. On the contrary, the strikes Lave proved that direct action against the employers is more profitable. M. Blum and members -of the Cabinet discussed the possibility of feeding and aiding the strikers' famißcs and dependants. M. Jouhaux, secretary of the Confederation of Labour, informed M. ( Salengro, that organised Labour would resume work on Mondays. It was un- . certain, however, whethen - non-unionists ■ Would follow that lead. Miners at Denain arre holding up motorists and demanding monetary | support under penalty of punctured ( tyres.

AIRCRAFT STRIKE. government may; take over (Received 2 p.m.) LONDON, June 7. The "Daily Telegraph" Paris correspondent says it is understood the Air Minister, M. Cot, told the aircraft strikers that the Govern ment would take over aircraft factories if the employers refused to grant collective bargaining, )™ich is almost an innovation in France. e demand, therefore, has augmented membership of trade unions by 480,000 jn four days. Bank clerks have joined e strikers, and 60 fresh disputes have occurred in the metal trades.