Strike Spreads At Morris Motors

FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT
OXFORD, JULY 22

The official strike of members of the Transport and General Workers' Union at Morris Motors Ltd., Cowley, in protest against the dismissal of their chief shop steward, Mr Frank Horsman, spread today.

Members of the National Union of Vehicle Builders walked out in support of the demand for the reinstatement of Mr Horsman and about 100 members of the National Union of General and Municipal Workers joined the strike. During the afternoon a management official said that 3,177 workers had failed to clock in. Members of the Amalgamated Engineering Union were still at work. They decided at a meeting in the factory to hold a strike ballot after a show of hands had failed to decide the issue. The result of the ballot is expected tomorrow.

Meanwhile, two officers of the A.E.U., Mr J. R. Long worth, the divisional organizer, and Mr Charles Squire, the district secretary, have accused some of the T.G.W.U. strikers of "poaching" their members. They said that some A.E.U. men had been told that if they joined the T.G.W.U. they would get strike pay back dated to Monday. Mr J. Thomas, district secretary of the T.G.W.U., replied that if his union's stewards and collectors had been over zealous in their activities he would see that immediate action was taken.

MORE THAN 2,000 LAID OFF AT AUSTINS
FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT
BIRMINGHAM, JULY 22

Production was again affected at the Austin Motor Company factory today by the strike which began in the paint shop on Monday. By tonight the number of workers laid off because of the dispute had risen to between 2,000 and 3,000 while the number of strikers, originally 200. had increased to between 400 and 500.

The paint shop men who walked out on Monday in protest against the management's plan to introduce extra labour into the shop to increase production have since been joined by workers in other parts of the factory.

B.M.C. Investment In Australia
MELBOURNE, July 22.

The British Motor Corporation is investing £19m. in Australia to produce a new Morris car, the Major II, Mr G. A. Lloyd, joint managing director of the B.M.C., said in Melbourne today.

SYDNEY.-A new Morris Major will appear on the New South Wales market today. It will cost £997 10s. including sales tax. It is being built at the British Motor Corporation's Sydney plant.