SOUTHAMPTON STRIKE

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 85, 9 April 1924, Page 5

SOUTHAMPTON STRIKE

UNIONS. MAY TAKE DRASTIC ACTION

PREVENTION OP NATIONAL LOCK-OUT.

(UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.—COPYRIGHT.) (AUSTRALIAN-NEW ZEALAND CABLE ASSOCIATION.) LONDON, Bth April. The masters and trade union leaders alike admit that the principle behind the Southampton shipbuilding strike .is most important. This is shown by the fact that the 16 unions involved have ordered separate individual ballots on the question of a return to work. "Union authority is being challenged by the extremists, influenced by the Communists. Union leaders understand that the crisis can only be met by drastic measures. It may be necessary to expel the Southampton strikers from the unions in order to prevent a national- lock-out. The older members at Southampton would thus lose many years' contributions and bene: fits. Though the Southampton masters would lose the weapon of mass action by the Shipbuilding Employers' Federation they "would be able to replace the strikers, as no one would support the men ejected from the union.

Ihe Southampton strikers seek an advance of 17s 6d per week to brins them into line with London dock workers. After the demand had been made, Sir Alfred Read, representing the American passenger shipping companies, stated that the shipbuilders would declare a lock-out on 10th April of members of all unions whose Southampton members did not resume on Bth April.