Portsmouth 'blacked'
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by CM reporter A NEW cross-Channel ro-ro freight service planned by Britanny Ferries to run from Portsmouth to St Malo has hit union trouble.
The first three lorry loads of freight were unloaded on Monday evening at Portsmouth Mile End ferry terminal to the jeers of a 50-strong picket line of Southampton dockers. More than 40 police moved rapidly to prevent a face-toface confrontation between the pickets and the crew of the French ship Amorique. The crew of 46 had marched ashore to back up three lorry drivers.
On Tuesday it became clear that the off-loading of the three lorries had led to the blacking of the port at Portsmouth.
A picket representing South Coast dockers and lorry drivers turned away more than 40 lorries in the morning. Only three got through. One was a non-union driver; the others were warned that they risked being blacked.
Dockers leader Ritchie Pearce said South Coast dockers guaranteed the sul port of lorry drivers' unions i blacking Portsmouth ferr, terminal.
Portsmouth's 200 docker voted by a majority of 15 t continue handling freight, move which brought threat of intensified action fror Southampton dockers.
The main bone of conten tion is that Portsmouth is not , "listed" port and the men fea that freight allowed througl Portsmouth will jeopardise th livelihood of other ports notably Southampton, Wey mouth and Plymouth.
And industrial actiol against Brittany spread tt Plymouth on Tuesday whet cargo-handling lorries wer refused permission to leav the Brittany ferry Pen-Ar-Be which returned to Roscoi fully laden.