THE AFTERMATH OF THE WIGAN RENT STRIKE from Raymond Challinor
After a weék’s rent strike Wigan's 7,000 council house tenants have decided to pay the proposed rent increases, varying trom 2s 6d to 7s 6d a house. This follows detailed negotiations between tenants, cowmcillors and council officials, The Treasurer's Department produced wads of figures to overawe and overwhelm the tenants. It also sent a circular - very much like a Conservative Party handout = to every house, which purported to show why the increases were necessary,
Feelings among the tenants are mixed. Some say they will never vote Labour again; others are taking a more active part in the Labour Party. The Communist Party, relatively strong in Wigan, plan to put forward more candidates in the Municipal elections, while the Conservatives, who usually never fight Labour-held seats, intend to see whethé “Yen cash in on the present discontent with the Council,
So the rent strike has achieved one thing: Wigan, a town that is solidly and sleepily Labour, is even going to have local elections this May,