Iron Miners May Return To Work

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30085, 20 March 1963, Page 13

Iron Miners May Return To Work

(N.Z J* ji .-Reuter—Copyright) PARIS, March 19. Leaders of 20,000 striking French iron miners will ask them to vote today on a proposal to resume work tomorrow, their union announced late last night.

The union gave no reason for the proposal, but the leaders have been discussing pay, conditions, holidays and job security with mine owners. If the iron miners return to work, the hundreds of thousands striking or threatening to strike in France will be almost exclusively in the nationalised industries, particularly coal Informed sources said the Government’s committee of ‘‘.three wise men” should present at the end of this week, and may publish, their

report on how wages in nationalised industry lag behind those in the private sector. The 3000 workers at the natural gas plant at Lacq, Southern France, threatened yesterday to close down completely if their claims for better pay and conditions were not met within 48 hours. Striking coalminers in Northern France yesterday threatened to stage a 50,000strong "march on Paris” this week. A series of miners* marches on provincial towns is already scheduled during the week. Other industries plan lightning strikes. Railwaymen announced that two-hour stoooaces would be staged byeJch shift next Thursday throughout the day. Rail traffic is expected to be delayed but completely disrupted

Communist-led. Socialist and Roman Catholic unions have decided on two fourhour works stoppages this week in the nationalised gas and electricity industries in support of wage claims. The first stoppage will bo on Wednesday from 2 p.m. tn 6 p.m and the second will be fixed after union representatives have been received by the "wist men's" committee.

Collections tor miners tn the Paris area have brought in more than 1,000,000 francs in the last three days Postal workers, engineers, other civil servants, airline employees, bus and underground workers are all considering strike action.