R.A.F. STRIKES

Grey River Argus, 30 January 1946, Page 7

R.A.F. STRIKES

Four More Called Off QUESTION OF LABOUR MARKET. LONDON, January 28. Strikers at Seletar aerodrome, near Singapore, numbering four thousand, called off their .strike, after an assurance from Sir Keith Park, that he was recommending to the Air Ministry action to speed up demobilisation. The Singapore correspondent of the Associated Press reported earlier that members of the R.A.F. at Seletar airfield had gone on strike as a protest against demobilisation and repatriation delays. The airmen, after closely questioning the Air Command-er-in-Chief of S.E.A.C. (Sir Keith Park), declared: “We aren’t going back to work until we get what we want.” During the strike, Japanese prisoners of war working on the airport were guarded by officers and Indian troops. SINGAPORE, January 28. Ring-leaders of the Seletar strike would be charged, according to the Air Commander-in-Chief of SouthEast Asia Command, Sir Keith Park, who said: “The Government will not tolerate disorders and intimidation.” He alleged the strike ring-leaders used methods of extreme intimidation, including the beating up after lightsout, of loval airmen. He said that action is now being taken to improve living conditions at Seletar. STRIKES IN INDIA. LONDON, January 28. In India, strike leaders at Mauripur, Cawnpore, and Dumdum aerodromes decided to call off their strike, but they issued an ultimatum to the Government reserving the right to resume the strike if a satisfactory reply to their demand is not received within ten days. Strikers at Mauripur addressed a petition to Mr Attlee: “We are not convinced by recent official reasons for ■ the slow rate of demobilisation. Why cannot the demobilisation and repatriation be speeded up? Is it. because fast demobilisation would flood the labour market at home? We expect full employment from the Labour Government which we are proud to have helped to elect.” The petition added that they had done the job they joined up l to do, and now wanted to get home for personal reasons; also because they thought by work they could best help Britain. Copies of the petition have been forwarded to Members of Parliament and also to the British Parliamentary delegation in India. The Air Ministry issued a warning that attempts to speed up demobilisation by improper pressure would dislocate the machinery and actually slow up repatriation. The Ministry claims that it is successfully attempting to remove unevenness in repatriation, while the shipping position is gradually improving. It gives one cause of current delays in repatriation as the fact that Stirling aircraft were withdrawn from trooping “for safety reasons.” The Under-Secretary for Air (Wing-Commander E. J. Strachey) explained that the aircraft had been withdrawn and the air trooping programme reduced because it was NEW R.A.F. STRIKES (Rec. 11.40) CALCUTTA, Jan, 29. A new 1 strike of R.A.F. men, involving four hundred personnel, below the rank of sergeant, started last night at Kanchrapara, a R.A.F’. assembly and repair base, 27 miles from Calcutta.

found that the rate of accidents was too high during the winter. LONDON, January 28. Reuter’s Cawnpore correspondent says that 1000 Indian airmen struck at Cawnpore, demanding employment with equal pay and status for pen demobilised, and better conditions for those wishing to remain in the Service, equality of pay, promotions and conditions' with the British and other ranks. Five thousand members of the R.A.F. already striking at Cawnpore declared they were prepared to return to work if the R.A.F. in India were informed it was a “token strike”, and the people of Britain were informed of the men s demands by radio and the press.