T.U.C. MAY INQUIRE INTO ALLEGATIONS

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31094, 24 June 1966, Page 11

T.U.C. MAY INQUIRE INTO ALLEGATIONS

(N.Z.P.A. Reuter—Copyright)

LONDON, June 23.

The Trade Union Congress may hold an investigation into allegations by Mr Wilson that outside political pressures were influencing the control of the British seamen’s strike.

The general secretary of the T.U.C., Mr George Woodcock, said after a meeting with Mr Wilson last night that he might visit the National Union o f Seamen’s headquarters in South London to confer with the union leaders.

Mr Woodcock said that Mr Wilson had told him there was evidence that another

trade union, stimulated by a political party, was taking part in N.U.S. activities. Speaking outside No. 10 Downing Street after his halfhour interview with Mr Wilson, Mr Woodcock said: “If this is so it is a crime against trade unionism. “We can stand a hell of a lot, but a crime is a crime.” EUROPEAN TRADE Today’s talks came only a few hours after the appointment of port emergency committees, set up by the Minister for Transport, Mrs Barbara Castle, for Britain’s 12 major ports. Most of Britain’s trading partners in Western Europe report little effect so far from the strike, though hold-ups of some manufactures are reported from a few points. The Argentine meat-ship-pers are not yet concerned by the effect of the five-week-old strike, but South African exporters are becoming worried about the situation.