IN BRITAIN TODAY Dilemma In The Docks

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31771, 30 August 1968, Page 7

IN BRITAIN TODAY Dilemma In The Docks

<N.Z PA .-Reuter-Copyright

Cable News Digest)

LONDON.

Britain’s port employers are carefully analysing the results of a survey of dock workers’ wages, which shows that dockers’ earnings have risen by about 40 per cent in 11 months while productivity increases have been only marginal.

The survey is to be considered bv the executive committee of the National Association of Port Employers when ft meets to decide tactics for a new round of bargaining scheduled to begin next month. Indications have been given that the employers feel the figures are such that they will need to take a much tougher line with the unions. This would well mean further disruptions to shipping schedules, for the dock workers are by no means in a docile mood.

The rise in earnings has taken place since the “decasualisation” of port labour. This scheme, which resulted In several strikes and disputes at the time of its introduction, guaranteed most waterfront workers a regular weekly income. In return, the unions made concessions to employers in such fields as the shifting of work gangs from ship to ship. The employers felt that the extra sums to be paid out in wages would almost certainly be largely made up from the higher productivity thought likely to result from the concessions.

Now, .however, they have found their national association can account only for the payment of half the increase in earnings. So they are looking “sideways” at each other in the belief that some have made payments to their dockers which have not been approved by the National Docks’ Modernisation Committee.

The survey shows that before “decasualisation,” on September 18 of last year, the average weekly earnings were equivalent to SNZ46. During the first quarter of this year the figure jumped to about SNZ62: and in the same period sick pay, pensions and other fringe benefits were also improved. Two consoling points for the employers are that in the 11 months the total labour force was reduced by about 7000 to 56,000 and the quantity of cargo handled was increased. 1940 Recalled Londoners will be able to see tomorrow night what publicists for the film, “The Battle Of Britain,” describe as “the third great tire of London.” Film crews will move into London’s dockyards to begin filming scenes of the bombing raids on St Katherine’s Dock, which suffered heavily during the Luftwaffe attacks in the autumn of 1940.

The film producers have had to wait some weeks to film the bombing sequences because until now 26,000 chests of tea were stored in

the dock’s warehouses and merchants feared that the smoke and fire created oy the film makers might be harmful to it

Postponed The launching of the submarine H.M.A.S. Onslow for the Royal Australian Navy at Greenock, this week, had to be postponed because of the death of Princess Marina, whose daughter, Princess Alexandra, was to have officiated at the launching ceremony. An Australian House spokesman says the launching has been postponed for “probably one or two months.” The Onslow is the last of four Oberon class submarines built in Britain for the Royal Australian Navy. Princess Marina, herself, launched a sister ship of the Onslow, H.M.A.S. Otway, in 1966,

Concorde Hope

With the Anglo-French supersonic airliner, Concorde, now undergoing trials at Toulouse, the British and French firms concerned are turning their thoughts to renewed sales efforts.

Sales of up to 250 Concordes are being predicted, even though the cost of the aircraft is likely to exceed the equivalent of SNZI7m. Experts connected with the project, who have had their hopes boosted by American delays in the construction of the Boeing “5.5. T. seem more confident than ever that the Concorde will meet its theoretical flight specifications.

The French prototype is expected to have its maiden flight within the next 10 weeks. An intensive test period will follow, and as performance figures come to hand the British and French sales representatives will press even harder to convert purchase options now held on the aircraft into firm orders. Originally at was thought that the Concorde would be unlikely to come into airline operation any earlier than three years before its rival in the United States’ plane. Now, however, the time lead gained by the Concorde is expected to be much longer. Resistance to supersonic flying over land has not been as strong as was at first thought, and if it proves possible to obtain permission from international aviation organisations to lower the Concorde’s fuel reserves, a longer range or better payload is thought probable. Sud Aviation and British Aircraft Corporation experts believe the reserve levels now required for subsonic airliners will be out of date for the much faster supersonic transport. Fruit Harvest Britain’s Apple and Pear Development Council is confident of bumper crops this year.

At a special press conference this week, a spokesman for the council said a good crop of dessert apples and a fair yield of cooking apples was expected. An abundance of pears was likely. A major publicity campaign

has been planned and the theme, “Pick an English Apple, Pick an English Pear,” W'ill be given prominence. According to an executive of the council, consumer research has shown that as many as 30 per cent of British housewives do not even know that apples and pears are grown commercially in Britain. “We hope to put that right,” the executive added. The bulk of the Worcester apple harvest is expected to reach retail outlets in about two weeks’ time and “Coxes” will follow in heavy quantities in October. Dairy Imports The most outstanding features of the United Kingdom’s dairy product imports from January to June this year were a marked increase in cheese imports, a much lower level of near-butter entries because of control measures, and lighter entries of wholemilk powder. In the latest issue of its Meat and Dairy Produce Bulletin, the Commonwealth Secretariat says cheese imports were 22 per cent higher than in the same period last year.

Tonnages given show that New Zealand supplied 48,000 tons, about 7000 tons more than in the comparable period of 1967; Australia, 9000 tons, 7000 tons more; the Netherlands 11,000 tons, 4000 tons more; the Irish Republic, 7000 tons, 2000 tons more; France, 5000 tons, 1000 tons more; Denmark remained the same at 5000 tons: other countries, down by 4000 to 9000 tons.

The total cheese imports in the period were 94,000 tons, compared with 77,000 tons last year. Home production was down by 2000 tons to 64,000 tons. The secretariat discloses however, that there was a surge in home butter production which, at an estimated figure for the period of 26,000 tons, was 8000 tons higher than in the same period last year.

Butter import figures show New Zealand as sending 104,000 tons, 1000 tons more than in a period a year earlier; Australia, 32,000 tons, 5000 tons less; Denmark, 47,000 tons, 2000 tons more; France, 1000 tons. 1000 tons less: the Irish Republic, 14;000 tons, 3000 tons more; and the Netherlands, 9000 tons, 1000 tons more. Imports from other countries were down by 5000 tons to 24,000 tons, and the total imports, at 231,000 tons, down by about 4000 tons. Need Assessed The continued existence of the British Commonwealth as a political entity is neither copper-bottomed nor giltedged, according to Sir Douglas Logan, principal of the University of London, who has been attending the tenth Commonwealth Universities Congress. “It the Commonwealth is to be a living reality and not the shadow of a bygone age, the remaining links between its associated countries must be strengthened and new. initiatives developed,” Sir Douglas Logan said.

“One of the fields in which existing bonds are strongest is that of higher education.”

This view was shared by a subsequent speaker at the congress, the Australian Minister of Education and Science (Mr Malcolm Fraser), who recalled this definition of the Commonwealth: “A loose association of States held together by the examination system of the University of London.” Plans Delayed The invasion of Czechoslovakia by Warsaw Pact troops and pressure of work have delayed the plans of New Zealand’s trade officers in London to investigate further export opportunities in Eastern Europe. Two members of the High Commission staff were to have visited Prague this week and it had also been intended that two officials would go to Hungary after the ending of the Vienna Trade Fair, in which New Zealand will be participating, from September 8 to 15. A similar situation has arisen concerning Poland. “But," said a High Commission official, “the present situation in no way puts us off our long-term Intention of these areas for further trade development whenever we can.” Concerts Off An eight-week tour of Britain by the Red Army Ensemble has been cancelled in protest against the Warsaw Pact troops’ occupation of Czechoslovakia. The promoter, Victor Hochauser, cancelled the planned visit by the 100 Russian dancers, singers and musicians on Government advice. The group was to have begun its series of concerts at the Royal Albert Hall on September 9. In Glasgow, an amateur international boxing tournament between Poland and Scotland, scheduled for September 5, has also been cancelled.