HC Deb 24 February 1969 vol 778 c196W
68. Mr. Kenneth Lewis

asked the Secretary of State for Employment and Productivity what have been the results of her discussions on the problems posed by unofficial strikes in the docks; and if she will make a statement.

Mrs. Castle

As indicated in Reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Horn-church (Mr. Alan Lee Williams) on 12 th February, the object of the discussions with officials of my Department on 6th February was to ensure that all the implications of the London Port Employers proposed disciplinary action against unofficial strikers were fully considered before the action was taken.

Reduction of unofficial strikes in the docks is one of the objectives of the continuing programme of reform based on the Devlin Report. The number of days lost through strikes (nearly all of them unofficial) has in fact shown a marked reduction since decasualisation, once the initial troubles were settled.—[Vol. 777. c. 337.]