Challenge to Thatcher

Press, 25 February 1981, Page 9

Challenge to Thatcher

NZPA-Reuter London! i Water and sewerage workers in northern England an-: Inounced yesterday they are ■going on unofficial strike. I presenting a new challenge To the Conservative Govern-1 ment already under attack Tor its retreat before the] 'miners. Union leaders for the; 132,000 water and sewerage' 1 workers are not due to meet' ; until late today (N.Z. time) :to decide on a nation-wide I stoppage to press for an improvement on the employ■ers’ final offer of a 10 per ; cen' wage increase. ! But some workers in Lancashire said they would i strike from .1 p.m. today {(N.Z time) and others in i north-east England said they iwould stop tomorrow. : They were taking a leaf 'from the situation last week when miners staged unofficial strikes which threat med to snowball into a national stoppage until the Government withdrew its closure programme. The Government is said to have drawn up plans to ration water and to use 10,000 troops to maintain essential [services. ! Workers in . other Stateowned industries and public services are also lining up to test the Government’s resolve. Half a million whitecollar civil servants yesterday promptly rejected a Government pay offer improved from 6 to 7 ner cent, i