Week of strikes in U.K.

Press, 1 February 1988, Page 8

Week of strikes in U.K.

NZPA-AAP London Britain is facing a week of industrial unrest with strikes threatened on four different fronts. Seamen joined Ford car workers, nurses and coal pit deputies on Saturday in calls for strike action, ending a recent period of industrial peace when strikes were at record lows. Ferry services will be hit from tomorrow after leaders of the National Union of Seamen voted for an indefinite strike in support of 161 x union members sacked by the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company as part of economy measures. More tljan 2000 nurses in London and the provinces will walk out for 24 hours on Wednesday in protest against pay conditions and the state of the health service.

Nurses’ unions have however ordered that no action be taken which puts patients at risk.

Ford union leaders enter last-ditch talks with management against the background of an all-out stoppage by 32,000 manual workers due to begin at midnight. The issue, as in the coal strike, is about pay. British Coal’s 100 pits will be at a standstill as the pit deputies’ union stages a 24-hour strike.

The strike will cost the coal industry £l4 million ($NZ37.5 million) in lost production and British coal has already warned that any further disruption would mean the closing of 20 more pits and 20,000 job losses. Meanwhile, technicians at TV-am, the broadcasting company headed by Australian Bruce Gyngell, have voted to continue their 10-week strike.

The management has threatened to dismiss the technicians today unless they agree to a 10-point plan of new working practices.