Engineers' Strike Averted

Chronicle (Levin), 19 June 1948, Page 6

Engineers' Strike Averted

LOXDOX, June 1S. The tlireatened strike of eugiueers ims been averted. Tlie national conimitte of the Aumlganiated Engineering Union by 28 votes to -o rejeeted the proposal to strike in support of the claim for higlier wages for the 2J7~)0,0()0 engineering workers. Discussions "with ihe employers are proceeding. Explaining wliv tlie employers liad rejeeted demands fyr an all-round in erease in the miiiiniuni rates in the engineer.ing trade, Sir Alexander Hanisav, direetor of the l'higineering^and Allied Kmpiovers' Fedoration, said tlie employers had not rejeeted the men 's i-laiiu.s on Ihe ground laid down by the Government in its appeal to the trades unions to freeze wages, though they

eould undoubtedly have done so. The employers eonsidered that the present rate of wages in the enginoering trades already compared more tlian Cavourablv with those in otlier branehes of indnstry, and that if tlie present demands were granted they would have u most serious effeet npon the cost of British ex]iorts. Tnevitably, if the demands were granted, ancillarv trades would follow tlie engineers, and the full additional wage charge over. the whole field' of production would be colossal. ]\fr. I\. Tanner, presiclent of the Anialgamated Engineering Fn'liiii, told a conference of tlie union at Brighton that the employers' rejeetion of the .xniniinum xvage demands ereated the -most serious situation the union had faced in ' recent years. A nuniber of speakers at the conference advocated direct action to enforee the nien's claims.