400l picket 'anarchy'
Page 5
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
ICKETS involved in the haul;e strike were causing "anrchy" in the port of Liver ool, George Alcock, nairman ot the Port Users' ommittee of Merseyside hamber of Commerce and idustry, claimed.
He told the Liverpool ranch of the Institute of Exort that the pickets had 3sumed greater powers than lose of the police. They have ?come the "sole arbitor" of ho went in or out of the )eks. Mr Alcock said: "We have reached the alarming situation where drivers of own account vehicles are being required by pickets to show their union cards and log books before being allowed through the dock gates.
"The powers that the pickets have given themselves is greater than those of the police. There is complete anarchy."
Mr Alcock said small companies were worst affected by the strike and predicted that many of them would be forced to close unless the situation improved immediately.
He warned Institute members that there could be chaos in the port in the aftermath of the strike unless freight movements were carefully channelled to avoid congestion.
Agents would have to be patient because not everybody would be able to get cargoes moving on the first day after the end of the strike.