U.K. ATOM INDUSTRY

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28896, 16 May 1959, Page 13

U.K. ATOM INDUSTRY

Workers’ Strike Threat (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11.20 p.m.) LONDON, May 14. The Prime Minister (Mr Macmilllan) was to be asked to prevent the first-ever strike in Britain’s atomic industry, according to the “Daily Express.” The newspaper said the Atomic Energy Authority’s 17,000 industrial workers threatened to strike if the Government carried out its plan to make the fuel for Britain’s first atomic submarine at the Rolls Royce works. The Amalgamated Engineering Union had two main grievances against the “atoms for industry” plan under which the fuel production came. One of the reasons was scientific the other political. The union feared that safety precautions under private ownership could not be as good as under the non-profit-making Atomic Energy Authority The Government plans to make the fuel at the Rolls Royce plants but the Atomic Energy Authority has two centres making uranium rods similar to those required for the atomic submarine.