from David Robinson.
Strike A t Pay Freeze. Over 700 members of the T&GWU working at the B.X.L. Plastics factory in Birmingham met on Tuesday, to discuss their support for 400 production workers who walked out on Monday, Augist 21. They voted unanimously to continue their strike against the Government's incomes policy. The walkout was provoked by the management when they threatened to send home 15 inspectors for working to rule. In a full report to Tuesday's meeting, factory convenor Jim Faulkner explained the background to the dispute. "For months we have been trying to negotiate a wage increase for new work carried out by inspectors and there have been weeks of frustrated discussion without results," he said. The inspectors have refused to do work performed previously by thee men taken off their gang, or to do new work without extra money. Jim Faulkner addeds "We don't intend that our members should do extra work or increase production without getting more money, regardless of what the management or Mr. Wilson says. Frank Cousins has made it clear that help will not be with-held from those in struggle against the prices and incomes policy - as we are." Most of the 1,200 workers involved are members of the T&GWU and official support has been called for. Production at the factory has been halted. Pickets are manning the gates and turning many lorries away, Staff unions at the factory have been invited to join the strike and a subsidiary plant at Aycliffe (Co, Durham) has been informed of developments. A further meeting of the strikers will take place next Friday.
Militant Action on Merseyside The unoffocial dockers' strike at Liverpool, which started over an overtime issue had paralysed a large section of the docks by Tuesday, August 22. The lack of overtime on the Elder Dempster freighter, Kohima sparked off a strike of 120 dockers last Thursday and now involves 2,555 men out of a labour-force of 10,500 in spite of pleas from T&GWU officials for the men to return to work. Twenty-five ships are now idle in the port and some others are not being worked.The men demanded a basic rate of £3 a day for shifts which finish at 5pm - thus cutting out the normal two hours overtime which is worked until 7pm at double rates. The dis-~ pute has now widened to involve the whole question of decasualisation and the guaranteed weekly pay. A dockers' leader said; "We have contin-~ ually warned that the men will not accept the decasualisation scheme without amendments."
Barbican Dispute Spreads Work stopped on John Laing's £6m, Barbican redevelopment contract in the City of London last Friday when over 400 men walked out in protest over the sacking of a joiner. The company said he had refused to obey an order and had therefore been dismissed for indiscipline. The joiner said he had been told to work in stagnant water, Meanwhile, the Ministry of Labour's Court of Inquiry report on labour troubles which have closed the adjacent Myton site is expected within the next few weeks,