More join dockers’ strike

Press, 30 August 1984, Page 11

More join dockers’ strike

NZPA-Reuter London The British Prime Minister, Mrs Margaret Thatcher, appeared determined yesterday to sit out a fresh challenge mounted by dockers which threatens to prolong industrial turmoil sparked in the State-run coalfields.

Mrs Thatcher, just back from a holiday in Switzerland, called a special Cabinet meeting yesterday to discuss a national dock strike called last Friday — the second in six weeks. Government sources said she would not intervene, as she was anxious not to prejudice the outcome of votes yet to be held in ports which have to decide whether to join the strike. Employers reported that 24 ports were at a complete standstill yesterday, as thousands of men answered their union’s strike call over the use of outside labour to unload coal for steelworks picketed by striking miners. One problem confronting Mrs Thatcher in connection with the dock strike is whether British participation in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation military exercises in West Germany next month will be affected.

N.A.T.O.’s Operation Lion-

heart will involve shipping 57,000 troops, and 14,500 vehicles, to the Continent. Officials said that they were optimistic everything would go ahead as planned. Reports on support for the dock strike were patchy, with widespread confusion over the number of workers still working. The stoppage appeared less firm than a 12-day walkout last month which paralysed 61 ports, but numbers striking have grown steadily since the week-end. According to the National Port Employers’ Association, four-fifths of workers were out in at least 35 ports — half of the country’s ports employing registered dockers and handling 71 per cent of its non-oil imports and exports. Signs of dissent lingered, fuelling speculation of a serious split among the 36,000 registered dockers represented by the Transport and General Workers’ Union.

Those refusing to give their backing say the strike has more to do with the coal dispute over pit closings and miners’ jobs than the dock industry. Of the top 10 ports in terms of tonnage handled, three were not on strike,

including Dover, one of Europe’s busiest ferry outlets, and the giant container port, Felixstowe.

A third of the 2000 men at Tilbury, which handles half of London’s tonnage, voted at a rebel meeting yesterday to work. Only 40 later crossed picket lines, however.

An official meeting on whether to back the strike will be held today, and news media commentators said that without Tilbury, the dockers’ action would lose credibility. The Transport Secretary, Mr Nicholas Ridley, lashed out at the dockers’ leaders yesterday, accusing them of

“brazen foolishness" in attempting to stage a political strike in support of the miners.

“They won’t achieve it. The Government won’t give way,” he said. In spite of calls for intervention, Mrs Thatcher’s Conservative Administration has repeatedly emphasised that the coal dispute should be settled strictly between the miners and the State-run National Coal Board.

Officials said they expected the same line to be taken in the dock strike, unless essential food and raw material supplies were threatened.