Strong Action Against Unofficial Strikes?
Page 30
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ONCE again a small number of men, with a comparatively minor grievance which could no doubt have been settled reasonably quickly by the normal procedure, has taken immediate strike action, with the result that large districts of London have been blacked-out and great inconvenience caused over a wide area to thousands, if not millions, of people.
The Government took immediate action and ordered troops to maintain the essential service of providing electric current, in the endeavour to avoid the shutting down of production plants of vital importance to the economy of the country, and to prevent undue hardship. The introduction of troops, however, created further trouble, exception being taken to this procedure by the workers in other power stations who were induced to stage a token strike.
We have, on previous occasions of a similar nature, pointed out the disastrous consequences which may follow such unofficial disturbances, carried out without any sanction from the trade union concerned. They reduce to nil the value of national agreements, Which should be inviolable. They place into a few hands, often those of unscru pulous agitators, the power which should be exercised only by properly organized and approved negotiating bodies. The result is that a few men, often with little or no responsibility or status in an industry, can assume the mantles of dictators and endeavour virtually to blackmail the Government, the unions, any private enterprise concerned and the public into accepting ultimatums which, by prior and general agreement, should be the subject of mature consideration by those who have full knowledge of all the circumstances and can act accordingly. In a democracy such as ours, the right to strike is almost sacrosanct, but this weapon should be employed only in exceptional circumstances when all negotiation has failed. Even then, many labour upheavals can be stopped by the decisions of independent arbitrators. Sporadic, unofficial strikes constitute a grave danger to the whole community, and strong action should be taken against those by whom they are instituted. They really usurp the powers of Government, and should be considered as anarchistic threats against law and order and the general well-being of the country.