FRENCH PICKETS ARRESTED

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25363, 10 December 1947, Page 7

FRENCH PICKETS ARRESTED

Anti-Strike Laws Applied TROOPS SENT TO MINING AREAS <N.z. Pres. (Rec. 10 pan.) 'LONDON, December 9, The first application ot the new antistrike laws passed by toe French National Assembly last week was made last night, when 18 strikers were arrested at Montpelier “for trying to interfere with the right of ethers to work." They were picketing a factory and a bus depot- , x The Paris correspondent of “The Times” says that reports frgm .the northern coalmining areas last night said that troops were streaming m and spreading out everywhere- Already, it is claimed, their presence Ms been followed by a general return to work and normal eoiid|iions, particularly at Lille, Valenciennes, Douai, and Bpthunp. According to a statement issued fiy tfie Prime Minister’s Office, tfie Government has decided to concentrate on preserving the right of coalminers to return to work. The statement said that the strike in the northern £pal? fields, if continued for another 12 days, would acutely affect the whole nation’s industry. Mines a.nd ports where dockers were Still striking were the greatest existing points of tension in France, the statement added. The Government otherwise had reports showing a pro= nounced improvement |n tfie national situation.

The Paris correspondent of Reuters says that the national strike committee of the Confederation of Labour, after talks last night with the Minister of Labour (Mr Daniel Mayer), decided to maintain and reinforce strike action.

„ „ Gevernmept’s Terms Mr Mayer offered the strike leaders the following terms: (1) Strikers to be prosecuted qnly for breaches of tfie law. (2) No payment to be made for strike time, but the cost?of?liyipg allowance qf £3 2p 6J a month, which the Government recently conceded, to be paid as- from November 24 to all who have returned to work by December Ig. (3) All family allowances to be paid to strikers as Well as non-strikers". (4) The Government to consult the trade unions about a plan fbr ‘stabilising wages and prices. The Communist leader of the confederation (Mr Benoit Franchori), after meeting Mr Mayer, said that the confederation was not satisfied with the stabilisation proposals and had not been able to persuade the Government tq abandon prosecutions arising from the Strikes. It is oiticially stated that troops cleared strikers from the St. Ch w les railway Station at Marseilles, thus endmga difhpult transport situation. The twp-day strike of Peris under. ground and bus lines, which was io ave begun yesterday, was Bailed off because it was a “failure," said a trans-port-system spokesman- Union heade quarters confirmed the announcement Parly yesterday rooming the work1,200,000 public service emplqyees. Reuters says that the transport workers decision to remain on the job Xned 6 strike. ma ’ lOr re¥ “ Spl in the