BUSMEN AND MINERS

Evening Star, Issue 22636, 30 April 1937, Page 9

BUSMEN AND MINERS

THREATENED TROUBLE IN BRITAIN NEGOTIATIONS FOR SETTLEMENT PROCEEDING (British Official Wireless.) Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright RUGBY, April 29. (Received April 30, at noon.) The negotiations for tho purpose of averting a strike of busmen in Central London at midnight to-morrow were continued at the Ministry of Labour. So far as is publicly known, the Transport Union maintains its demand of a 7J-hour day, and the London Transport Board, while prepared to refer the issue to a public inquiry or arbitration, has not modified its position that the demand cannot be met out of its finances, but it is still hoped that a compromise may be found. The Mines Department .is also engaged in industrial conciliation with a view to bringing about an agreement between the Mine Workers’ Federation, the national delegate conference of which is due to meet to-morrow to consider action on the recent ballot of the coalfields, which by 444,546 votes to 61,446 authorised a strike to secure recognition of the federation in Nottinghamshire, and the owners of the Harworth Colliery, who refuse to negotiate with the local union, which is affiliated to the federation. A national strike on May 14 is mentioned in some quarters as a possibility, but the general feeling is more optimistic, and a settlement is expected. The Prime Minister, questioned in the House of Commons on the position, said he was satisfied that everything possible was being done to find the solution of a very difficult problem.