DOCKERS’ STRIKE WIDENS

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27669, 27 May 1955, Page 13

DOCKERS’ STRIKE WIDENS

500 More Men Join Stoppage • LONDON, Mav 25. The three-day-old dock strike in six of Britain’s majqr ports grew slightly worse todty when 500 men joined the stoppage, bringing the total number now idle to more than 18 500, and the tally of ships unmanned to 99. There were no immediate signs of a break in the strike. ’ The stoppage involving the ports of London. • Liverpool, Birkenhead, Garston, Manchester, and Hull, is in support of a claim bv the National Amalgamated Stevedores’ and Dockers* - Union for recognition in the industry’s negotiating machinery. About 30.800 port workers, mostly members of the Transport and General Workers’ Union, which is opposing the strike, have remained at work, but the stoppage has halted work on 5® ships and left another 97 undermanned. Work on 111 other vessels is continuing. ** Another round of talks took place today between Sir Walter Monckton. the Minister of Labour, trade union officials, and transport chiefs in an attempt to avert a threatened rail ' strike timed for midnight on Saturday. No imminent solution is in sight. The strike threat has been issued by * the 70.000-strong Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen in sunnort of a wage claim. The stoppage would halt four out of five trains scheduled to run over the country’s nationalised railway system and wreck the plans made by the intending Whitsun week-end holidaymakers.

British . Health Service.—Fewer t National Health Service prescriptions were issued in England last year than - in 1953, but their average cost rose slightly. The 1954 . total was 203,071.240, compared with 204.181,431 in 1953. The average cost last year , was 4s 2.36 d as against 4s 0.66 d in 1953.—London, May 25.

Russia Ratifies Warsaw Treaty.—The presidium of the Supreme Soviet has ratified the Warsaw Treaty of Friendship and Mutual Aid which was signed by Russia and seven East European Communist States. Tass, the Soviet news agency announced today.— Moscow, May 26.