FRENCH WORKERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22904, 11 June 1936, Page 9

FRENCH WORKERS

WAGES LEVEL RAISED

AGREEMENT WITH OWF&RS

SETTLEMENT OF STRIKES

(Unitea Press Association) , (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright)

LONDON, 9.

The Paris correspondent of The; Times

says the raising of the wages to a level more closely approaching the Western European standard illustrates‘tlije danger of trying to achieve social progress in a country where the currency is seriously over-valued. The trade pinions have won a sweeping victory, but have not got much' more than the jßritish working man has received for years. The French workers for years have been employed in premises which British (factory inspectors would not tolerate. Tee wage advance has been won only aftclr years of constant agitation and sullen acquiescence iu a life on a subsistence level; yet, despite the bitterness of the struggle, the strikers maintained perfect order, sweeping factories, painting doors, repairing plumbing, even taking: up colleetions for the repair of a plateglass window accidentally broken. fNo outsiders were allowed to intervene, 1< 0 women.strikers in a one price stefe rcpeling with a fire-hose a number qf young Fascists who attempted an entry. The Manchester Guardian’s Baris correspondent says it is difficult 'for outsiders to realise the enormous effect of Monday’s agreement on the i working class. The truth is that the buflk of employers for the first time agreed to sign a general agreement with qualified representatives of the entire working class, employers thereby, in the eyes of the workers, abandoning sacred prerogatives and placing themselves on a footing of equality with the proletariat. The agreement has, inter alia, efided the practice- whereby certain bin ploy ere could openly -refuse to employ union labour, Socialists, or Commurfists.

STRIKERS RETURN TO, WORK PARIS, 'June 9. The strikers are streaming back to work. Trade-unions describe ( the settlement as. the greatest victory in the history of French Labour, and consider that the, income of the workers, allowing for a 40-hour Week, will rise on an average 35 per cent.'The employers di not share their, enthusiasm, and contend that the increases will, place a heavyfburden on [French economy. M. Blum’s problem now is to reconcile his opposition to devaluation with rising costs of production, j which the (Strike -settlement necessitates. Right interests, formerly bitter opponents of devaluation, are . now becoming the strongest advocates of it. ] Even the Popular Front is becoming uneasy at M. Blum’s insistence on the sanctity of the franc. Critics point out that if he rejects devaluation he must turn to tariffs, quotas, and exchange regulations, turning France into the very , totalitarian State which M. Bltim was elected to Combat. M. Blum at present is relying on short-term borrowing, which has reached the unprecedented total of [£280,000,000. Presumably he intends to continue borrowing until the market will lend no longer. i

A FORTY-HOUR WEEK

PARIS, June 9.

M. Blum, in the Chamber, of Deputies, tabled the Bills for the 40-hour week, holidays of 15 days with pay, collective contracts, .-the exemption of war veterans from taxation, and alterations to certain decree laws. He asked the Chamber to adopt the procedure of extreme urgency.

The Chamber by a large majority approved, and adjourned after referring the measures to commissions.

The Bill for collective contracts gives a public authority the power to arbitrate in the case of differences between parties respecting the national agreement, and extends the agreement to parties not represented at the negotiations on June 7.

The textilers told M. Blum that they would accept the agreement, but drew the attention' of the Government to the necessity for a reduction in the. export tax in order to enable them to defend the markets.

GOVERNMENT’S PROGRAMME

PARIS, June 10 (Received June 11, at 1.30 a.m.)

As the strikers are gradually returning to work, interest is shifting to other features of the Government’s programme, notably M. Auriol’s Bill modifying the Bank of France, which will probably result in the issue department being brought tinder Government control to ensure that the bank will more freely lend to the Government.