FRENCH LABOUR UNREST

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25609, 25 September 1948, Page 7

FRENCH LABOUR UNREST

24HOUR TRANSPORT STRIKE IN PARIS

(Rec. 10 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 24. The Paris correspondent of the Associated Press says that a 24-hour underground railway and bus strike began at 4 a.m., stranding Paris workers in outlying districts. In spite of a decision by the Cabinet to grant a general 15 per cent, wage increase, 5,000,000 French workers are expected to stage a two-hour general strike to-day in an open challenge to France’s middle-of-the-road Government. The stoppage will be the biggest since the nation-wide strike movement last December.

The unions had asked for a 30 per cent, wage increase. The new increases will probably be effective from October J. At the request of the Prime -mister (Dr. Queuille), the National assembly passed a motion postponing the local elections which were due to take place in October until next march. The motion was carried by 300 votes to 287. This request was a change ot front by the Government, which earlier declared that it would leave the question to a free vote and would not take sides in the controversy. Two members of the Government, Mr Claudis Petit, Minister of Reconstruction, and Mr Francois Mitterand, Secretary of State for Information, said that they would resign if the elections were not held next month. The possibility of a Government crisis, labour unrest, and the international situation, caused gold prices and exchange rates on the Paris black market and the free currency market to reach new records. Foreign securities especially gold mine and oil shares, were m strong demand. Underground railway fares will be doubled shortly and suburban fares will be increased 60 pei cent., but the bread ration is to be increased.