STRIKERS DEFY MINISTER

Chronicle (Levin), 13 June 1949, Page 5

STRIKERS DEFY MINISTER

(N.Z-.P.A.—

Reuter.

Britain's Dock And Railway Hold-Up Continues

Copyritfht)

Received Monday, 10.5 a.m. LONDON, June 12. Britain's rail and dock strikes, vhich together are the most s-eri-ous industrial dispute f that the Labour Government has had to face, continued today d'espite appeals by the Labour Minister, Mr, George Isaacs, and trade union leaders.- . • -* burnters on the north-east region rail- hnk to Scptlan-d -and. the dockers at Bristoi and Uiverpciordefied Mr. Isaacs, who In a radio appeal last night told them riot' to be Communist ,dupes. Forty main line and 220 local trains had to be caneelled as a result of the continued Sunday strike of engine crew,s in the northeastern and Scottish seetions of the railway system. Booking office takmgs were down by £30,000. Of the 1113 enginemen on duty this morning, only 180 reported to their depots. Some emergency services were run. Railwaymen Adamant. Nearly 300 men at rail depots in the Newcastle area, a vital centre on the north-eastern route, decided to go on striking Sunday by Sunday until their demands are granted. Members of the Railway Executive, which under national.isation now controls . the railways of Britain, met in London today to review the position. At Liverpool, where "the dock strike is holding up over 80 deep sea ships, the few dockers who have returned to work gave preferenc6 to food ships to avoid a repetition of what occurred last week, when one ship had to sail back to the United States' with her holds full. The dockers originally came out on strike because they would not unload a Canadian ship, the crew of which is involved in a dispute between rival Canadian trade unions.