The Docks Time-Bomb
rritre. next Government may face a dock strike I within a week of• being confirmed in office, or of taking office. The strike would be inevitable if the militant attitudes of both sides were really 'final' as this week they were proclaimed to be. But five weeks is plenty of time for reflection. No doubt all parties to the dispute, but especially the leaders of the four dockers' unions, will have poli- tical considerations in mind.
It is generally believed that industrial disputes harm the Labour Party's image. There is little evidence of this. Certainly the London bus strike in 1958 helped the Tories, but this was because Mr. Cousins ignored an arbitration award and led his men into a strike which directly incon- venienced the people of Greater London and was unpopular with the TUC. Industrial action itself seems paradoxically often to bring out some pub- lie' sympathy for the strikers, even if their cause is bad. In turn this reflects adversely on the Government. But the threat of industrial action is nearly always unpopular, and Mr. Cousins, who is once more in the arena, knows this.
He dare not, of course, damage his own image by appearing to be less militant than the leaders of the other unions concerned, some of whom are clearly spoiling for a fight. The odds are, therefore, that Mr. Cousins will first put on his familiar act of 'summit' talks between himself and Sir Andrew Crichton, chairman of the port employers. There may be to-ings and fro-ings with the Minister of Labour in St. James's Square. The strike notices are more than likely to go in. The opening moves, now almost as formal and stately as a minuet, have begun. But at the moment the strike seems, and probably is, a long way off.
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