4000 Stay Off Night Shift

About 3,000 night-shift workers in Birmingham and nearly another 1,000 in Coventry stayed away from their factories last night in support of a claim to abolish Friday night shift work.

Workers at three British Motor Corporation factories in Birmingham stayed away for the second Friday night in succession. About 1,700 night-shift workers at the same factories reported as usual for the four-hour Friday night shift. A management spokesman said: "This is an unofficial, unconstitutional stoppage which we are attempting to settle through official channels. We share the expressed union view that a 42-hour week should be spread over five days or nights."

The workers staying out include 2,200 at the Fisher and Ludlow body factory, about 800 at the factory of Nuffield Metal Products, and 50 at the Morris Commercial Car factory. Night shifts were reported to be working normally at other B.M.C. plants.

In Coventry about 700 workers at Bristol-Siddeley Engines Ltd. did not report for work and the night shift of 200 at Alvis Ltd. were also absent. The normal Friday night shift at Standard- Triumph factories was worked when the 700 men who stayed away the previous Friday night decided to go in as usual so that talks could be held with the management.