DOCKERS’ STRIKE

Feilding Star, Volume XIX, Issue 4931, 5 July 1923, Page 4

DOCKERS’ STRIKE

SPREADING IN ENGLAND. OVER 20,000 AIEN IDLE. (By Electric LJablo.—Copyright). lAust. and N.Z. Cable Association) London, July 3. The dockers’ strike is seriously interfering with the discharge of food at Hull. Merchants' cicrks arc assisting the crews to discharge perishable cargoes. , Two thousand men at AyonmoutL and Portishead to-day joined the strikers. An appeal by the secretary of the union to honour the agreement was rejected. The strike quickly spread at the London docks, and there arc now about 6000 idle in London. So far, Liverpool and Southampton are not affected. UNION LEADERS FAIL TO CONTROL. It is expected that many more London dockers will refuse to work today. The strikers in London and the provinces total over 20,000. The London troubles began mitli the stevedores refusing to continue the unloading of the Nariva, and the strike extended to the Ivaikoura, Raranga, Port Nicholson, Huruuui, and Alahia, all from Australia and New Zealand ports, laden with produce. The regular flow of imported meat and other foodstuffs to London and provincial markets will be quickly interrupted if the strike continues. The cause of the strike is that, under a national agreement, wages were reduced by Is per day horn last Al'onday, owing to the fail in the cost ol living. The men, however, dispute the Board of Trade and have struck in defiance of the Union leaders,- who strongly urge the men to honour the agreement made in their name.