Danes vote on strikes over tax

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33539, 21 May 1974, Page 13

Danes vote on strikes over tax

N’ Z P .4 .-Rrufer—Copi/Hch

COPENHAGEN. Mav 20

Workers' meetings at Danish factories, building sites, and elsewhere today will decide whether or not to continue the strikes which last week cost the country up to four million man-hours.

The strikes were in protest against higher purchase taxes introduced last week by the minority Liberal Government led by the Prime Minister (Mr Hartling). A group of union leaders has called for higher pay to compensate for the increased 'taxes on cars, household appliances, alcohol, and cigarettes.

Several unions have already' claimed increases of between 25c and 65c an hour.

The national employers' federation has refused to pay higher wages, and has made lit clear it will refer the dispute to the Danish Labour Relations Court.

I Among the main firms | affected by the strikes are (Denmark’s two biggest breweries, Carlsberg and Tuborg, of Copenhagen. Rubbish from 700.000 Copenhagen families has been awaiting collection since the [capital’s dustmen stopped work last Thursday.

However, the seamen, whose walk-out stopped train ferries between the country’s two main islands of Sealand and Funen, were expected to resume work this morning.