The iiconomist, which had run a campaign to persuade the Government to stand firm on the docks wage claim, is angry about the settlement reached. After saying, in previous issues, that tho Government should have backed up the employers by making it clear that thoy would have used troops to break the str it writes:
ike,
"The port employers' surrender which bought off the dock strike was even further out of line with the Government's income policy than the nationalised electricity industry's inflationary wage award last November...."
this could have beon avoided because:
"seeceit cannot possibly be said that inflation was rondered inevitatle by, an exorbitant pressure of demand or by an urgent noed to recruit more workers, On Contrary, the docks industry is at present working at a more depressed level of activity than for some time past; in Liverpool - the most militant area — an average of 8 per cent unemployed higher every day in the first quarter of this FOAM s« verse *
in facts
"The Government's income policy was breached in the docks dispute because the Government made no attempt to implement it. lIlinisters could have =: stopped the final large breach of their guiding light (even if not the smaller, initial one) at any time up to Saturday of last week, simply by saying that in their viow a further inflationary increase in the employers! offer would be an even worse disaster for the national economy than a full-scale national strike."
it draws the conclusion thats
“",eeeeuntil the Government and tho country at 1
ast come to realise the folly of constantly encour
aging employers to run away from any threat of national strikes - and until it has become invarhble Government practice publicly to blazen forth the guiding light during each crucial wage negotiation."
that there will be a constant inflationary twist which will adversely effect export costs.
COMLINT: the Hconomist is being unfair to the Government insofar as it ignores the Government's statoments about taking all necessary steps to keep essenitla supplies going. Coming a few days bofore the final date for negotiations this could only strengthen the hand of tho employers. In fact it is almost certain that but for the combination of tremendous pressure from the rank and file delega~ tes, reflecting the discontent arising out of the low earnings which dockers have received in the last year or so, and the fact that at this stage Cousins and the leadership of the T.G.1.U. are taking a 'firm' line that the Government's threat would have been effective. As’it is Britain's workers have learnt a lesson, if they stand firm,.if they make it clear that they will not be moved by eithor threats or appeals to think of the 'nation! iql advances in their living standards, to militant action throughtout industry. so very angry.
s welfare! that they can make substant-
This lesson will give a tremendous impulse
This is what has really made the Economist