COMMUNISTS DOUBLE PICKETS TO PREVENT WORKING OF FRENCH COAL MINES

Grey River Argus, 8 October 1948, Page 5

COMMUNISTS DOUBLE PICKETS TO PREVENT WORKING OF FRENCH COAL MINES

GOVERNMENT INTENDS TAKING ACTION (Received October 7, at 10.0 p.m.) LONDON, October 7.

The French Minister of Industry, M. | Robert Lacoste stated in a broadcast to the striking coal miners, that the Government would break off negotiations with the Union unless they ended the strike. M. Lacoste said that the authorities would “take measures” to restore the gas and electricity facilities in the Nortty of France.

The Minister’s statement is interpreted as meaning that police protection may be given to all workers who are prepared to man the plants. It is taken for granted that clashes will occur in the Lens area if the Government sends police or troops there to guide the non-Communist workers through the Communist picket lines. The Communists have doubled their picket lines to baulk such a move-

Extension To Transport Industry

PARIS, October 6. The Minister of Industry and Commerce, M. Robert Lacoste, broadcasting. told the striking miners that tne Government would break off negotiations with the union unless they ended the strike.

The political aspect of the strike is clearly apoarent in Lorraine, because the strike corresponds exactly with the Government’s receipt of high allocations of coke from Britain and Germany, which would allow France to increase her output of steel for the benefit of the Marshall Plan.

“The Times” correspondent says at Lille the coal reserves are so low that the huge furnaces may soon go out with consequent damage, requiring weeks to repair. “The Times” correspondent says that those wishing to fan the flames of unrest will make the most of the Government’c decision to maintain increases in the prices of coal, electricity and gas in the face of advice from the National Price Committee on which the trade unions are strongly represented.

DEMAND FOR £1 A WEEK MORE

The British United Press says the nrosoects of a st’-ike settlement diminished still further when the Com-munist-controlled General Confederation of Labour issued a claim for e npw monthly basic minimum wage of £l7 10s. instead of the current minimum of £l3 10s. This demand defies Dr. Queuille’s repeated warnings that capitulation tn such demands, could end only in France’s economic collapse.

Strikes Spreading To Railways And Docks

(Rec. 11.50) PARIS, Oct. 7 As the disastrous coal strike m France entered on the fourth day, the Minister of Labour, M. Mayer, has summoned to Pai is the provincial chiefs who are responsible for a maintaining of order in times of civil strife. T (Rec. 11.45) LONDON, Oct. 7 The British correspondent of the United Press says: Reports of clashes in the French coalfields come from the Moselle, where there were disturbances at Thionville and at Forbach. No serious casualties are reported. There is a railway strike in northern France. It is threatening to spread to other areas. Strike votes also are being taken at several of the ports where dockers may cease work later this week.

RAILWAYS, SHIPS & TRAINS AFFECTED

The Communist-led French General Labour Confederation has ordered a general strike of all French national railwaymen in the Moselle department. Railway employees belonging to non-Communist trade unions are staying at their posts. Railway workers in Calais have voted to strike and the dockers at Bordeaux, in sympathy with a stevedore strike in North Africa, are not unloaking ships from African ports. The secretaries of the Communistled seamen’s unions have decided to call on all French ports for a 24-hour "national warning strike on Friday. Taxis are off the streets of Paris to-day as a result of a strike decision taken last night by the Ta xi -dnvers Union, which is affiliated with the Communist-led General Comederation of Labour. CHRISTIAN UNIONS ALOOF

In the strike-bound coalfields m the north, miners belonging to the Christian trade Unions’ Federation have not returned to work as expected, primarily, it is believed through fear of causing incidents. The two-day-old strike there affects 320,000 miners and, though there is a six-weeks reserve of coal, the stock position is hi<eIv to become serious if the strike continues. , Two non-Commumst unions, representing 20 per cent, of the miners, have dissociated themselves from the strike but the members of these unions are not attempting to return to work because of hostile pickets. The Christian Miners’ Federation, representing 12 per cent, of the miners, had issued a statement that its members will not participate in an unlimited strike. Mass miners’ demonstrations have been called for this afternoon If. three towns. Four central power stations are shut down in the strike-bound area owing to lack of coal. Gas supplies remain cut in the northern cities of Lille. Roubaix and Tourcoin g. Water supplies in a section of the north are renort.ed to be threatened. Reuter’s Paris correspondent snvthat leaders of the Communist-led French Miners’ - Federation after talks with the Minister of Industry and Commerce <M. Robert T.ncoste) announced that thev intended to continue the strike of 320.000 which is costing the country 158,000 tons cf coal q dny _