DOCK STRIKE ENDING

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27670, 28 May 1955, Page 7

DOCK STRIKE ENDING

Railway Stoppage Likely

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11 pan.) LONDON, May 27. Britain’s four-day-old dock strike is likely to end today, but there is now little chance that the nationwide railway strike threatened for midnight tomorrow can be averted. Railway “peace” talks broke completely yesterday, and 70,000 engine drivers and firemen are now scheduled to stop work for more pay. if they do so, industry will be seriously hampered, and many thousands of people holidaying all over England for the Whitsun week-end will be stranded. A « ord l n ? to the “News Chronicle,” Mr Jim Baty, leader of the Associated society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen, which called the strike, said last night: “There is now no hope of a settlement. Anyone would be a fool ex P re ssed any optimism what- ♦ drivers and firemen are* striking which they But on the waterfront last night the prospect was more cheerful. Leaders of the Amalgamated Stevedores and Dockers’ Union, members of which have been on strike since Monday, will put end-the-strike plans to meetings later today of the 19,000 strikers in London, Liverpool, Birkenhead, Garston, Hull, and Manchester. They will suggest calling oft the strike, pending a Trades Union Council inquiry into the stevedores’ dispute with, the Transport and General Workers Union. General feeling is that the Stevedores today will accept their leaders’ back-to-work terms.

French Printers’ Dispute

( Hec. 9 p.m.) J PARIS, May 26. The French National Assembly today approved a bill which earlier brought printers out on strike and suspended publication of 140 of France’s 160 newspapers. The bill provided that employers who made membership of a particular union a condition of employment were liable for damages. It proposed penalties ranging from six days to one year in prison, and fines from £lO to £lOO. It was approved by 510 votes to 109 in the Assembly, and will now go to the French Upper House. The 24-hour stoppage was called by the Communist-led Printers’ Union to protest against the bill, which would end the union’s monopoly in hiring and firing printers. Seamen and tug-crews at Le Havre stayed away from work today during a 12-hour strike called by another branch of the. Communist-led Trade Union Federation. No incidents were reported. In other ports the strike was reported to have been “unevenly followed” by seamen.