Rothes Ay Government to Issue Freeze Against

from a Scottish correspondent According to the Financial Times of April 3, the Government intends to go ahead with a wage freeze order to prevent Rothesay (Buteshire) town council from giving wage increases to 20 administrative, professional, technical and clerical workers. The small numbers involved make it quite clear that the Government is pursuing this as a question of "principle." It has taken this attitude despite the very widespread discontent among Scottish local Government officers and the threat of strike by NALGO members. The Financial Times explained the backzround to the dispute: "\ pay rise agreement for these srades employed by local authorities in England and Jales was concluded before July 20, 1966, with an operative date of iugust 1, 1966. After a six-month deferment it was paid because it was an "existing conmitment." In Scotland, no agreement was reached before July 20. Under the pay standstill an agreement could not then be made to take effect before July 1, 1967. However, Rothesay council decided to pay increased rates from March 16." As Tony Southall pointed out in an article in The Week a few issues ago, this action by the wilson Government is both mean and short-sighted. The labour movement should support Rothesay NaRGO in this struggle and send it messages of support. It is particularly important for Labour Parties to press their own councils to follow Rothesay's example.