LABOUR UNREST

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22448, 18 June 1936, Page 13

LABOUR UNREST

FRANCE IN THE THROES PREMIER'S STRIKE BILLS SENATE DEBATE OPENS By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright PARIS, June 16 The Senate has begun a debate on the strike bills of the Prime Minister, M. Blum, which are estimated to entail an expenditure of £18,600,000 a year. M. Jouhaux, general secretary of the Trades Union Council, says French Labour made up 20 years' leeway in one night, namely, on June 7. The membership of unions now is 2,600,000.

The collective agreement affects 7,000,000 wage-earners, of whom 80 per cent were previously ignorant of union organisation. This is necessitating extensive tutelage. About 32,000 of the 50,000 workers who are still idle in Paris "occupy" department stores and one-price shops. The employers of insurance companies, perfumiers and leather goods houses are expected to resume to-morrow. The trouble, however, is extending to Brittany. Sixteen vessels are held up in the harbour at Nantes, where 15,000 men have ceased work. The department stores have been closed, and the building industry is at a standstill. Petrol refineries have stopped work. The workers in the department stores and slaughterhouses at Lyons are still idle. Farmers in Algiers are appealing for protection against bands of Arabs who are roaming the countryside and forcing labourers to cease work. They are damaging farms and livestock. Many of these agitators have been arrested.

BELGIAN STRIKERS CLASHES WITH POLICE WIDESPREAD DISTURBANCES Times Cfible LONDON, June, 16 The Brussels correspondent of the Times says the public generally sympathise with the strikers, especially the miners, who suffered severely in the depression, and by the increased cost of living following the devaluation of the franc. Their aims are similar to those of the French strikers, namely, 10 percent increase in wages, a 40-hour week and paid annual holidays. Tlie incident which precipitated the strike was an employer fining a miner one-fifth of a day's wages for a trivial offence. Twenty-one strikers were arrested at Liege. The strike has become general in the coal mining and steel industries. Strikers attempted to prevent trams running in Liege, and repeatedly clashed with the police, who twice charged with drawn sabres. Three police were wounded by pistol shots. The affray occurred at Rocour, a suburb of Liege.

Three people were seriously injured at St. "Walburge when resisting an attack by 200 miners. The municipality withdrew the trams after the strikers' threat to set fire to them.

Troops are working the electric supply services and will be drafted to other pxiblic utilities. Shoemakers numbering 3500 struck at Mons, demanding pensions of £SO a year at the age of 60. The Ghent dockers are joining the strikers.

Belgian strikers have induced the Ardennes workers to quit the oil refinery, which is at a standstill, and is causing anxiety for national defence supplies, since the necessary daily quota of 11,000 tons has been reduced to 4000.

TROUBLE IN SPAIN BARCELONA PRINTERS BARCELONA. June 16 The employees in the printing trades, exclusive of the newspapers, have struck. The authorities are endeavouring to avert a strike of shop assistants. MOROCCO AFFECTED STRIKES IN TWO TRADES CASABLANCA, June 16 The strike movement is growing in Morocco. The building trade workers in Casablanca have "occupied" 70 yards. The metallurgical industry also is affected.