SERVICES TAKE UP TRANSPORT

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25082, 14 January 1947, Page 7

SERVICES TAKE UP TRANSPORT

Essential Food In London Area PORTERS WALK OUT AT SMITHFIELD (N.Z. Press Association-Copyright) (Rec. 11 p.m.) LONDON, January 13. The X,^ avy ’ AFmy and Air Ki work, but a member of a leading firm there said that the transport'."" eXPeCted tO Strike if the “><* over £

STRIKERS REJECT UNION’S PLEA

The delegates of the striking lorry drivers on Sunday rejected the adviee of the general secretary of the port and General Workers’ Union (Mr Arthur Deakin) and decided, at a stormy meeting, to continue their unofficial strike. Mr Deakin told the men that the union executive was prepared to back their claims if they agreed to return to work and allow the negotiations to proceed in a constitutional way. His appeal was greeted with boos and shouts of “No.” Only stride delegates were to have attended, but hundreds of men turned up and with cheers and shouts endorsed the delegates’ refusal to resume work. Meanwhile the Government, which deferred the use of troops at Mr Deakin’s direct request had convoys of service lorries standing by awaiting orders to enter the London area. The Ministry of Labour announced that in view of the strikers’ decision service labour would be employed on Monday morning as originally planned. ‘The Times,” discussing the possible spread of the strike, says that the provinces are at present waiting for a lead from London. Transport workers at Bristol, Cambridge, and Melksham. ih Wiltshire, joined the strike yesterday. Other places involved earlier were Oxford, Ipswich, Liverpool, Leeds, Norwich, and Southampton. The Merseyside transport drivers have decided to stay out at least till Tuesday. The strike of London drivers entered its second week with the men showing no signs of relaxing their (determination to stay out until their demands are conceded. The men have pledged themselves not to interfere with servicemen operating the emergency food supply service, but the strike committee has stated that it views with concern the Government’s intention to use service transport.

Renter’s reports 3114 newspaper comments show the anxiety in London where it is feared that sympa= thetic action by members of other unions may lead to widespread stoppages. Londoners on Sunday saw the military preparations for moving food. One convoy of 100 Navy vehicles entered London from the south and stopped on Clapham Common, where the crews established their headquarters, kitchens, and sleeping quarters. Army transport officers have worked qiit a plan for traffic operation in the market areas. All leave has been stopped for City Of London police. The main official developments to?ay be " emergency meeting of the Road Haulage Central Wages Board, in which the men’s claims have been under negotiation for nearly nme months, and a meeting of the Transport and General Workers’ Union executive to consider the reaction of the strikers to the address from Mr Deakin.