The municipal employees of Ilford struck in a body on
Thurs- day, January 13th. The Ilford Urban Council had differences with nine electricaliengineers. The Council had accepted the award of a national joint board giving these men very high wages, but qualified its acceptance by deciding to reconsider the matter after six months. Thereupon the nine engineers struck and cut off the electric supply, leaving Ilford in darkness and without trams. The clerks, dustmen, and others, who had trivial grievances of their own, seized the opportunity to strike " in sympathy." The pet theory of the Labour Party is that persons employed by the State or a municipality work harder and show more public spirit than those in private employment. This pleasant fancy was not borne out at Ilford, where the 800-municipal employees showed a desire to punish the 80,000inhabitants fornotaoceding to all their demands. The strike ended on Wednesday. The electrical engineers were given the full benefits of the award ; the minor employees agreed to discuss their claims.
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