Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-03-24

Million Leave
British Plants
Factory Workers
In 10Centers Join
Shipyurd Wulkout

LONDON, Mar. % (P.-A mil
lion factory workers Joined 200,-
900 striking shipyard men today
in a strategically planned wave
of walkouts aimed at shutting
down vital British export indus
tries.
The SNOWFALL strike" for more
pay in key manufacturing plants
began officially at noon despite
signs of decreasing tension on
Britain's seething labor front.
Union leaders called out the
million factory workers in 10
selected industrial centers rang
ing from Glasgow in the north
to Southampton on the Channel
coast and from Bristol in the
west to Tyneside in the east.
Will Involve 3 Million
The strike is scheduled to
spread from area to area until
it paralyzes scattered industries
handling 40 per cent Of Brit
aims export trade. April 6 is set
as the deadline for a complete
shutdown Of 1900 plants manu-
featuring everything from air.
craft to electrical equipment,
autos to heavy locomotives.
Three million men would be
involved.
Both factory workers and
shipbuilding men are demand
ing a 10 per cent pay raise on
their present average wage of
IL pounds IS shilling 10 pence
t$36.24 a week. They are men,
bers Of the same big union.
Britain's 70 shipyards have
been closed for fun week by
the strike. but government ne
gotiators are hopeful that the
walkout may be called of some
times next week.
Union leaders have agreed to
meet employers Monday amid
indications that both sides are
anxious for a quick end to the
shipyard walkout.
Railway Strike Averted
An announcement that they
had reached a basis for nego-I
tiations was made last night
shortly after negotiators avertedI
a threatened strike of 100000
railwaymen also demanding a To-
per cent pay increase. Railmen'sI
unions abandoned the strike
threat after being granted a s.
per cent raise.
Workers at Southampton
docks helped brighten the in
dustrial scene by unanimously
voting to end a walkout which
at one time threatened to
paraly2e the vast transatlantic
terminal.
The Southampton strike OF
mooring gangs and tug crews
sprang from a dispute arising
out of the general shipyard stop
page. The port now is expected
to return TO normal working,
except for one group Of men who
handle the mooring of the
Cunard liners Queen Elizabeth
and Queen Mary. They voted to
continue the strike on their own,
with possible effect on the
plans of the Elizabeth,
due Monday from New York.
The 26,000-ton America of the
United States Lines docked on
schedule tonight with four tugs
bringing her in.
A settlement Of the shipyard
strike probably would provide a
shot in the arm for negotiators
seeking a way out Of the factory
workers dispute with their bosses.
Unions and shipyard owners
both made concessions to get
ce-to-face talks under way.
The unions agreed to discuss re-
strictive practices allegedly ham,
pering production in the yards,
and the employers consented to
talk about wages without first OBJ
tanning a union pledge to end the
strike Immediately.
Leaders of the giant Confed-
Grafton Of Shipbuilding and En-
cheering Unions. which is or
ganizing both strikes. will be try
ing TO seek the kind Of settlement
that might be applied to each
dispute.