Twenty Thousand Men Are Now Involved

Chronicle (Levin), 4 September 1947, Page 5

Twenty Thousand Men Are Now Involved

(N.Z.P.A.-

Reuter >

, Copyright)

LONDON, Sept. 2. The Yorkshire coal strike situation lias become worse again. Twenty-five collieries had either partially or wholly stopped this afternoon. The stoppage is eomplete at eight collieries and it is estiinated than 20,000 men are striking — one-seventh of the mines labour force in the northeast region. The strike spread for the first time to the Upton collierv when three-quarters of the men on the afternoon shift returned home. Friekley again became idle when none of the (500 afternoon shift workers appeared. The situation at Wombwell also 'deteriorated with the afternoon shift. Darfield Main is idle, while there are 200 absentees at South Kirby. Xearly 1500 miners at CardoAvan colliery, near Glasgow, have begun an unollicial strike over a wages dispute. The miners at Iloughtoh Main, which employs 2700 men and produces 17,000 tons a week, decided to strike in sympathy with the Grimethorpc men. An ofiieial of the Clerical and Ad ministrative "Workers ' Union stated that all members of the mining section had been instructed to strike 011 Satur dav following the decision of the T.U.O. Gongress on the dispute between tli-i union and the Xational Union of Mint workers over the clerical workers rights to negotiate with tlie Natiomu Coal board. The Trades Union Council,. in a special report to the T.U.O,, congress, supported the Xational Union of Mineworkers in the dispute with the Clerical Workers' Union. By 0,359,000 vbtes to 923,000, tlie congress rejeeted the clerical workers ' motion to refer back the report. A clerical worlters' delegate said that the dispute was a case of a big union trying 10 push out of existencc .1 sma!ler organisation. The secretary of the Mineworkers ' Union (5Ir. Horner) said that his union was not intimidated by the clerical workers' threat to strike.