STOPPAGES SPREADING IN PROVINCIAL AREAS

Chronicle (Levin), 16 January 1947, Page 5

STOPPAGES SPREADING IN PROVINCIAL AREAS

. Press Assn.-

By Telegraph

•Copyright

Roeeived Thursday, 1.20 a.m. LONDON, Jan. 15. On the evc of the discussions for the settlement of Britain 's transjiort strike between 2000 and 0000 London doekers decided to join about 2000 already striking. London catering woi'kers have threatened to stop work if the troojis are not withdraxvn within 72 hours. The strike has also exteuded to Newcastle-on-Tyne where the transport workers rejected appeals from union offieials and stopped work in sympathy with the London strikers. All the porters at the Spitalfields vegetable market walked out, while limi'o than 1000 fish ])orters at Billingsgate did not start work, making about 8000 market porters from the citrus, meat, fisli,' fruit and provision niarketsT striking in protest against the use of ti-oops to distribute supplies. The soldiers today again distributed foodstuffs. Pifteen hundred to 1700 drivers are on strike at TJverpool. About six food ships, some with large cargoes of eggs and butter, are unloading at the Liverpool docks.

Unofficial estimates place the number of men who have joined the London haulage strikers in the provinces at 10,000. The strikers are receiving growing support on the Merseyside, where tlie drivers and meat porters at the Liverpool abattoirs walked out. Oue hiuub'ed drivers in the Liverpool cattle markets also stoi)ped work. So far no troops have lieeu brought in on the Merseyside, but Ihe strikers elaim that, if the Iroops do intervene, they have been assured that the Liverpool doekers will stop work. 'In the Manchester district, , 200 drivers erapl()yedl)ytva.H[bits nge firms have left their triicksl but so far the stoppage has not •issumed serious pi'opoi'tions. Considerable support has also been given to the London strikers at Bristol, where 3000 drivers and their matcs refused work. The

roads are.picketed and about 300 lorries from London are stranded it the port. The strike is also spreading on the Medway, where about 1500 men are now reported to be involved. • There have been a serics of unaller sympathy strikes in other parts of the provinces, but so far Jhey eoncern only drivers. The dispute has not so far spread to doekers outside London, but it is considerc-d that there is a grave danger that it may do so.