Over 8000 London Market Porters Now Out

Chronicle (Levin), 15 January 1947, Page 5

Over 8000 London Market Porters Now Out

Press Assn.

TOTAL OF 20,000 INVOLVED

By Telegraph

-Copyright

Reeeived Wednesday, 11 a.m. LONDON, Jan. 14. London's food distribiition strike continues fo spread. All ihe porters at Spitalfield vegetable market walked out and more than 1000 fish porters at Billingsgate did not start work, making about 8000 market porters from the city's meat, fish, fruit and provision markets striking in protest against the use of troops to distribute supplies. A union branch official told Reuter's that the stoppage by 1000 Billingsgate fish porters would bring the total number of London strikers to 20,000. Soldiers today again distributed foodstuffs. From 1500 to 1700 drivers are on strike at Liverpool. About six food ships, some with large cargoes of eggs and butter, are unloading at Liver-" pool docks. The road haulage strikers committee issued a statement roquesting all workers to reniain at work if not directly involved in the dispute, but to do evorvthing in their power to stop blackleg labour. The committee explained that

"blackleg labour" did not refer to the use of troops. The committee added: "We trust that after our meetings tpmorrow we shall have some concrete proposals to lay before members in the dispute." Only 2000 of London's 24,000 dockers are at present involved in the strike. Representatives of 300 slaughterhouse men have decided tc join the strike. The Road Haulage Industry employers and officials of the Transport and General Workers' Union have agreecl to the constitution of a National Joint Tndustrial Council, a voluntary and collective bargaining machine which will run parallel with the present Wages Boarcl. The council will meet immediately the strikers resume work. If the men return on January 16, th'e council is prepared to meet the same al'ternoon for free negotiation on any points the unions like to put forward. The Food Ministry statecl that troops distributed all the meat at Smithfield — 700 tons — to the London shops on Alonday. The dockers at Southampton refused to loacl on a steamer 35 tons of meat for the Channel Islands. Employees of Lyon's cafes, and a number of luxury hotels resolved not to handle food which the troops brought.