Dock strike green light
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• A dock strike looks inevitable following the High Court's refusal to grant port employers an injunction to halt the threatened stoppage. This means that the battle over abolition of the National Dock Labour Scheme is officially a straightforward industrial issue, saving the TGWU from the legal hazards of a politically motivated dispute.
The registered dockers have voted 3:1 in favour of a strike (CM 25-31 May) and the em
ployers have rejected the latest union attempt to set up talks.
The employers will appeal, despite Mr Justice Millet's warning that their chances of success are "remote". For the union, deputy generalsecretary Bill Morris sees the ruling as a "complete vindication" of the TGWU line and has again demanded negotiations. Neither side wants to go to arbitration and a strike at the 63 ports covered by the scheme could start next week.