Middlesbrough dockers win over question of discipline

THERE was a complete stoppage on Middlesbrough docks for a day last week. A thousand dockers took action, in a port where there have not been a great number of strikes in the past, as an answer to the attempts of the port bosses to tighten discipline.

Traditional custom

The employers sought to use the recent 40-hour week agreement to cut out the traditional custom whereby men were permitted to go home a short period before the end of their shift if they had loaded a substantial amount of cargo.

Unlike dockers in other ports, Middlesbrough dockers work two shifts. After the 40-hour week came into operation, employers began reporting men to the Dock Labour Board for knocking off early.

The dockers decided Loscoe Council forced make promises houses LOSCOE Tenants' Association is continuing its campaign for decent living conditions.

Last week a delegation from the association met the Housing Sub-committee of the Featherstone Council and its Health Inspector.

They demanded immediate repairs, especially to roofs, before the onset of winter; definite pledges about rehousing; essential work such as repairs to the wall which borders a ratinfested beck, and improvements to toilets and drains.

The tenants also insisted that houses should be condemned as they fell vacant and not allowed to be re-let.

ELUSIVE

After they were finally pinned down, the elusive Featherstone councillors were forced to make some promises. They pledged: • The beck wall would be repaired 'immediately'. • No houses would be re-let.

They would 'use their powers' to get landlords to do essential repairs. • The health inspector would visit Loscoe to deal with the stinking drains. • Early rehousing (for tenants who would accept re-lets in any district this would be 'fairly soon').

Five days after this meeting no apparent steps had been taken other than some men having been to measure the gap in the beck wall. Meanwhile, a young boy from Argylle Street has fallen through the hole and broken his collar bone.

Tenants have insisted on a further meeting and the councillors have agreed to visit Loscoe on October 13.

Loscoe people, however, have a lot of experience of glowing promises being made at election times and then being forgotten.

If there is not a lot of visible progress to be seen by October 13, the councillors are in for a hot time. work-to-rule and an overtime ban because of their dissatisfaction at the way the 40-hour week was operated.

Further action—the one-day stoppage—was decided on when three men who had loaded an average of 360 tons a shift were reported for finishing early.

When the dockers returned to work, they decided that any disciplinary action against men reported for finishing early would lead to a further stoppage.

Partial victory

Their strike won a partial victory. When the local Dock Labour Board met two days afterwards it took no decision on the men who had been reported.

Transport and General Workers' officials are meeting the employers to discuss the operation of the 40-hour week locally.

Dublin building workers strike BUILDING workers throughout Dublin and Southern Ireland took part in a ballot last week to decide on whether proposals on a shorter working week should be accepted by the 17 unions involved.

Over 42,000 workers voted in what has been the most serious issue ever to hit the building industry of Southern Ireland.

Dublin workers came out on strike, the biggest since 1937, seven weeks ago in support of their claim for a 40-hour week.

Employers claim it has held up contracts worth more than £20 millions.

Militancy

The main fear of the bosses now is that militancy will spread to involve employees in the Dublin Corporation, the Dublin County Council and Dublin Port and Docks Board.

Although many men have been thrown out of work during the strike--and as a result the press has slated the building workers' strike - the workers have stood firm for their demands.

Great play has been made of how many thousands of pounds the strike has been costing the unions.

FORDS WILL SACK SHOCKED Ford workers were told on Tuesday that between 600 to 800 of the firm's employees would become redundant in the next few weeks at the firm's Dagenham works.

Men have been offered jobs at the new Ford factory at Halewood, Liverpool. 'Many did not want a transfer,' said a company spokesman. Perhaps the workers have heard of the tremendous speed-up introduced at this ultra-modern factory.

First dismissals begin on October 23.

Many of the workers are surprised about the sacking news because there is no lack of orders.

They are being given one week's money for every year of service-some have only been with the firm 18 months.