French Government Making Firm Stand

Northern Advocate, 18 October 1947, Page 7

French Government Making Firm Stand

(Rec. 1.15 p.m.) PARIS, Oct. 16. Members of the Independent Bus Drivers’ Union decided to give up their attempt to run a skeleton service because French Trades Union Council pickets made their work impossible. Transport strikers scattered nails in Paris streets today to hamper the movements of lorries which the Government had requisitioned. No underground services are yet operating because the lines still are without electricity, although damage which was believed to be due to sabo-' tage has been repaired. When a French Trades Union Council delegation arrived at the Ministry of Transport this afternoon to join the Government and the independent unions in considering the pay and conditions of transport workers, Government officials turned them away.

REQUISITIONING WORKERS

The Prime Minister (M. Ramadicr) has refused to negotiate until the council orders its members back to work.

The Government and representatives of seamen reached agreement on a wage formula to end the merchant marine strike. Local union branches will vote on the agreement tomorrow.

The Ministry of Transport hopes the strike will end on October 19. The Government is believed to be offering a 15 per cent wage increase. A plan to requisition workers on strike who are necessary for the res* toration to the underground railway service was adopted at a midnight meeting attended by M. Ramadier and officials of the Transport Ministry, the police and the underground administration. Requisition of workers as a form of civil mobilisation was authorised under a pre-war law which carries severe prison sentences for refusal to comply. It has been used only once since the war, namely, during the recent gas and electricity strike, but before requisitioning took place the workers returned to work voluntarily.