1.
SV Dockyard officials leave room after talks
0.27

2.
GV Deserted dock PAN TO ships (5 shots)
0.27

3.
AERIAL V New Your docks showing "Queen Anne Maria" in dock
0.30

4.
SV Passengers leave ship with own baggage (3 short)
0.51

5.
GV Ship leaves New Orleans
1.00

6.
GV Deserted harbour and dockland (3 shots)
1.12

7.
SV Idle dock equipment and harbour (3 shots)
1.34



Initials BB/2255 WLW/AW/BB/2307


TELERECORDING original of NYK section on 11730/71 58ft original of New Orleans section 11842/71 57ft

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: A dock strike along the entire Eastern Seaboard of the United States of America has paralysed the nation's port system--for the first time in history. For along the Western Seaboard, a strike has been in progress already more than 90 days--and with Friday's (October 1) walkout in ports form New York to hew Orleans, there was hardly a single ship being loaded or unloaded throughout the entire country. The latest dispute is over a wages agreement, while the Pacific ports stoppage involves the handling of container ships. The dockers there want to handle the containers, or bulk package goods, themselves. The work is at present done by members of a different union.

This film shows the more immediate effects of the dispute in New York and New Orleans.

SYNOPSIS: The United States...and in New York on Friday, a breakdown in negotiations between dockers and ports authorities. The breakdown has led to a dockers' strike along almost the entire Eastern Seaboard--and a complete halt in almost every dock in the country for the first time in the history of the United States. For, on the Western coast, a total dock strike has been in progress for over 90 days. Now, there are few ships in American ports able to load or unload cargo--or passengers' baggage. The latest dispute, involving 45,000 dockers and baggage handlers, is over a wages disagreement. In the West, along the Pacific coast, dockers are on strike in a dispute over which union should be allowed to handle container goods.

By Friday, ports were lying idle from north of New York right down to New Orleans. Only two docks of any national significance--both in Texas--were not affected. But the strike is not expected to have any immediate impact on consumers, as shippers are reported to have been stockpiling goods in anticipation of the strike. From the White House on Friday, a message was issued to say in event of a national breakdown in the economy, emergency laws would be invoked to force the dockers back to work--for at least 80 days while further negotiations took place.