Strikes and Reinstatement The breakdown of the Irish railway strike
negotiations on the reinstatement issue may have serious consequences, for though the stoppage has so far been largely confined to Northern Ireland the Free State will be deeply involved when the existing railway agreements involving a Government subsidy come to an end on April 30th. Since the Government is resolved not to continue the subsidy it will be faced not only with a railway strike but with extremely strained relations with its Labour supporters in the Dail. An agreement involving a wage- cut of. 7/ per cent. (which is said to be the basis of the settlement tentatively reached) would have made the withdrawal of the subsidy practicable. Reinstate- ment, of course, is always a delicate matter. In this case the unions demanded that short time should be worked temporarily by all grades in order to absorb the returning strikers, but the company declined not un- reasonably to reduce the hours (and the earnings) of the men who had stood by them throughout. It is a narrow margin of disagreement, but there is no sign of any immediate reopening of negotiations. * * *
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