HOPES OF EARLY SETTLEMENT OF FRENCH STRIKES

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 148, 8 June 1936, Page 7

HOPES OF EARLY SETTLEMENT OF FRENCH STRIKES

Conference Held PREMIER PRESIDES Employers’ and Workers’ Unions Meet A DISMAL SUNDAY Itlesraph—Pre»» Assn.—Copyright.) (Received 8, 12.30 p.m.) PARIS, June 7. M. Blum, Premier, presided at * conference of employers and workers’ unions, at which it was agreed that the employers recognise the unions and accept the principle of increased wages, and recognise the workers’ delegates. In the meantim®. thousands or strikers spent a dismal Bunday in unheated factories and stores singing, chatting and playing cards. Self-interned strikers scrupulously respected employers' property. M. Salengro, Minister of the Interior, declares that the situation is easier and there are k hopes of an early settlement. AU newspapers are publishing tonight. The petrol striko has ended; nevertheless, for the first time in history the famous Blue train did not r n owing to extension of the strike to the sleeping-car company’s employees and restaurant-car attendants. Water, gas, electricity, buses and the underground railways are functioning. Milk is being delivered to the markets. The builders decided to strike to-morrow.

Sunday newspapers published As the result of a midnight agreement with news agents, who opened their kiosks, hut lack of transport restricted supplies. Many strikes were settled late last night. These counter-balanced the new disputes. The situation has become worse at Lille, even hotels and restaurants being closed to-day owing to waiters striking. The most serious development to-day was the decision of the miners of Nord Bas de Calais to strike on Monday. The “Daily Telegraph’s” Paris correspondent says it is understood that the Air Minister, M. Cot, told the aircraft strikers that the Government would take over the aircraft factories if the employers refused to grant collective bargaining, which is almost .in innovation in France, the demand for it having augmented the membership of trades unions by -180,000 in four days. Bank clerks have joined the strikers. Sixty fresh strikes have occurred in the metal trades. Bailwaymen in tho Lens district have strucK, rendering idle thousands of oiiners and steel-workers. Canals are affected and traffic is at a standstill. Burges are moored in tue fairway. The employees of the Wagon Lite company came out, depriving the railways of restaurant cars and sleeping cars. Locksmiths, carpet-makers, • upholsterers, tanners, cement-makers, wine bottlers and printers have struck in numerous towns; in addition textile workers have struck at Roubaix, Lille and surrounding towns. The movenent has spread to Paris, where 20,000 clothiers in cheap garment factories came out, but fashionable firms are not affected. Drivers of flour lorries struck in Paris, reviving tho fear of a food shortage and causing a rush on the scantily-stocked shops. Gas-workers at Versailles have ceased work, leaving the town practically without light NEWSPAPER OFFICE ATTACKED Strikers attacked the offices of the “Paris Soir,” destroyed formes of type and tore up editions of “L’lntransigeant” and burned papers in the street. There is considerable speculation as to whether M. Blum’s measures will improve the situation, as the workers are aware of the slowness of legislation. Even if speeded up by the Chamber, it must pass committees and tho Senate, therefore there is no prospect of immediate fulfilment of promises. On the contrary, the strikes have proved that direct action against employers is more profitable. MM. Blum, Salengro, Lebas and Auriol discussed the possibility of feeding and aiding strikers’ families and dependents.

M. Jouhaux, secretary of the Confederation of Labour, informed Al. Salengro that organised Labour wo-ild resume on Monday. it is uncertain, however, whether nou-unioniMs will follow the lead. Three thousand market workers in Paris are returning after obtaining all their demands. Marseilles dockers unloading the French vessel Cap Corse struck and occupied both the ship and the warehouses. •