Seamen’s Action Crippling For U.K. Exports—Wilson

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31062, 18 May 1966, Page 17

Seamen’s Action Crippling For U.K. Exports—Wilson

(N.Z.P.A. Reuter—Copyright) LONDON, May 17. Britons today felt the first effects of the merchant seamen’s strike, which began yesterday, when prices for fruit and vegetables went up.

The Prime Minister condemned the walkout in a broadcast to the nation last night as a strike against the State and he said that the Government must resist it. He said the seamen's strike, for better pay and shorter working hours, could only have grave consequences for the country. It would quickly affect the imports of food and raw mat-

erials and would cripple export markets. Mr Wilson warned wholesalers and retailers not to exploit the situation by rushing to raise prices before they were hit. But in the wholesale markets, fruit, vegetables, and salad prices rose sharply, and the increases were passed on to the retail shops. Sharp Rises In the major Midlands wholesale market in Nottingham today the demand for Danish and Majorcan potatoes. South African apples and Egyptian onions, together with other imported produce, sent prices up by 30 to 40 per cent. One wholesaler said that jcwt bags of new potatoes, selling wholesale for about 32s last week, were being sold at 50s today. Apples were reported up by 10s or more a case. At Smithfield Market, London, today New Zealand lamb was Id a lb dearer than on Friday. The general secretary of the Seamen’s Union, Mr William Hogarth, commenting on the report of price rises of fruit and vegetables, said this could not be because of a shortage. “If the prices are increased it is because wholesalers and retailers are taking advantage of the situation. “There is no shortage at present, and there is no need for price increases just now.” Panic Buying The National Grocers’ Federation tonight repeated its appeal to the housewife not to indulge in panic buying of foodstuffs, and added that ample stocks of most commodities were held in storage.

The Bank of England spent millions of pounds yesterday to bolster sterling in foreign exchange markets after the pound fell to its lowest level in eight months. The 62,500-member National Union of Seamen claims that the strike in Britain’s 300

The federation’s secretary, Mr L. E. Reeves-Smith, sent a telegram to the Prime Minister expressing support for the Government and pledging that the federation would do its utmost to keep prices stable.

ports is receiving complete support from the seamen. An estimated 400 ships will be idle by late today, and at the end of the week 10,000 seamen will have joined the strike as more British vessels tie up at home ports, to which the stoppage is restricted. The union says that in two or three weeks 2500 British ships will be crewless and idle. Decision Condemned Mr Wilson condemned the seamen’s decision to strike over their claim for a 40-hour week at sea and £l5 a week i for able seamen. But he also suggested a court of inquiry for their grievances and attacked the shipowners for interpreting a work agreement with the men “in a stupid and provocative way.” The Prime Minister said a state of emergency would be declared if necessary, and the Navy was ready to deliver vital supplies to isolated parts of the country, dependent on shipping services. He said the seamen’s demand for a 17 per cent pay increase was a challenge to his Government’s prices and incomes policy, which aims to keep wage rises to three and a half per cent, and is a major part of the national economic plan.

Self-help. The British Government is considering a system under which convicts would receive normal wages, support their families, and meet their other commitments. says the Home Secretary, Mr Roy Jenkins.—(London, May 17.)