The Dock Labourers Strike

Feilding Star, Volume XI, Issue 32, 29 August 1889, Page 3

The Dock Labourers Strike

— . '-♦ By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. (PER UNITED PBESS ASSOCIATION.) London, August 26. Sixty thousand men are now on strike. In consequence of the stoppage of- work, several Australian steamers are now unloading at Plymouth. Thousands of artizans of various trades are joining the movement as a mark of sympathy. The public, sympathises with the strikers in many bf their demands, aud suggestions are made for arbitration. The Kaikoura aud Fifeshire ha,ve been unable to unload, aud it is feared that unless the strike soon terminates they will be unable to keep the refrigerating, machinery at wotk. Any new hands taken on are threatened by the strikers. There are 250 steamers in the port of London waiting to unload. Two steamers of the Anglo-Austral-asian Steam Navigation Company have been uuable to coal. August 27. The dock strike paralyses business. The public is largely contributing to the strikers' support, but misery is becoming very acute. Although the strikers are generally orderly a force of cavalry .and artillery is kept in readiness lest an attack should be made on the docks. The lumpers, porters and carmen are striking at the coalbulks for double' wages. Fruit and meat are rotting in tons. Tbe clerks of the Orient- Company are assisting to load the Liguria. The P. and 0, Company are- Unloading some of their vessels'at Southampton. One of the immediate conseqjuences of the strike is that the shipping trade of Loudon is being .diverted to; Autwerp, Hamburg and North British ports. Later. The coal porters at the London depots are but on strike, demanding higher wages. In consequence the seaborne, coal trade is almost at a standstill. Tbe total number of men now on strike is ~ 100,000, but excepting the eases of dock laborers and stevedores, none are directed by the Unions and Labour Councils. The assistance rendered by" ;the public to the strikers is spasmodic and uulikely to las'. V Parleying is proceeding, but the dock companies hesitate to yield certain points. Burns, the socialist, is acting as the mouthpiece for the strikers. Thousands of tons of New Zealand mutton is rotting in the ships' holds, and prices are consequently doubling.