The Press FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 1957. Strike Deadlock in Britain

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28233, 22 March 1957, Page 10

The Press FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 1957. Strike Deadlock in Britain

Just why the sailing of the liner Queen Mary should have so incensed the striking dockyard workers in Britain is not clear, because free labour was not used to complete her refit, if, indeed, the refit had not been completed before the strike. But the Government’s action in supplying Admiralty tugs to help the liner from her berth sfeems to have hardened union leaders in their determination not to negotiate except on their own terms. It might almost seem that they welcomed this as an excuse to retreat from what had seemed a more reasonable attitude in the last few days. Ultimately, of course, they will have to reach a settlement with their employers. Although both sides in the dispute at first seemed anxious to fight it out by a long strike, the employers later accepted arbitration, though refusing to make a minimum cash offer beforehand. After the unions had obtained this distinct concession from the employers, the “ Manchester Guardian ”, which has a ready sympathy for working men, commented: “ What “ could be achieved by striking “ now? Nothing but injury to “ the community and particu- “ larly to the unions themselves. “ There is little sympathy for “ self-inflicted wounds. The “ unions now have a chance of “peace not only with honour, “but also (if their case is any- “ thing like as strong as they “ hold) with reasonable hopes “ of profit ”. In the end the dispute must be settled; and it

is probable that when it is settled the employers will give more than they would now voluntarily concede, and the unions will accept less than they now demand. It is in the interests of the unions as much as of the employers to reach this settlement as quickly .as possible, without worrying too much about incidents such as the sailing of the Queen Mary.

While the strike continues tempers will sharpen. This is particularly unfortunate, since the union’s present wage claim would have been a good opportunity to attack the restrictive labour practices that so seriously reduce "productivity in British shipyards. If disputes among unions over whose members should do which jobs could be avoided, then the employers could afford to grant generous pay increases, exceeding the rise of 3 per cent, in the cost of living over the last year. Many union leaders would be glad to have done with “ demarcation ” arguments which do no-one much good. The irritations of a strike will, however, make them reluctant to adopt any attitude that might seem to their members like weakness. Between them unions and employers seem only too likely to lose an excellent chance of preserving the present prosperity of the industry, which, as a special article on this page today emphasises, is none too securely based. Indeed, if the strike continues long the prosperity may turn out to be short-lived.