1966

[j.sabourn]

As in a previous post about home life.. apart from 12 weeks ashore for last certificate in 1963, the seaman’s strike of 1966 was the longest I had with the family for many years. It may be discimotory to say as others were suffering in many cases the loss of work and income. But I spent with others the full term on the Ravensworth in Port Talbot. We all had wives and family on board , the wives doing most of the cooking. I forget how many weeks this went on for. When the end came the strike was supposed to finish at midnight. The carpenter got in touch with me who had arrived back in Port Talbot the day before, he contacted me as he was destitute. I went ashore and brought him onboard through the pickets at the gate , whether they knew or not I don’t know , but made no effort to stop. He stayed on board before the end of the strike. We were the second ship locked out from Port Talbot, and can remember on the focsle this Maltese seaman saying to me ah well Mr. Mate we’ll be on overtime tomorrow , I said sorry there will only be three seamen on overtime over the weekends in future that is the three watchkeepers, there would have been prior to the strike at least 2 on a watch and probably 3. All that finished from that day on. His remarks the baskets they’ve done it to us again. I wouldn’t care it wasn’t even the shipowner paying for the overtime . But it was pay back time. Seamen in my opinion came back worse off than what they were when they went ashore before the strike. Shortly after I saw the decline in British shipping which was due to come and made hot tracks to other flags. I will always believe 1966 was the start of the decline of British shipping which was ably assisted by the government of the day , by changing legislation to assist the shipowner to do so. JS

[Des Taff Jenkins]

Hi John.
I was glad I was well out of it in NZ; as I wouldn't have seen eye to eye with the union officials of that time, we removed some officials from the union on the NZ coast as they were letting down the seamen, it greaves me to think that the seamen, many of whom went through the war were used by these people. I've said it before, when the Secretary of the Union of the time Sir Tom Yates gives his daughter a Rolls on her wedding day as a present from the British seamen it's time to get rid of them, the fact he got a knighthood says it all. Unfortunately the wide spread of the job prevented it.
Cheers Des

[Keith at Tregenna]

On 28 May, Harold Wilson said Communists were using the seamen's strike to gain influence over the National Union of Seamen. He said they were "endangering the security of the industry and the economic welfare of the nation".

The following day the seamen decided to return to work, partly due to his comments and partly thanks to a pay compromise reached with ship owners.

Mr Wilson's hardline tactics split the Labour party into Left and Centrists and did little to improve the country's economic problems.

The NUS did not call another strike until February 1988.

BBC ON THIS DAY | 23 | 1966: Emergency laws over seamen's strike

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[Keith at Tregenna]

. I will always believe 1966 was the start of the decline of British shipping which was ably assisted by the government of the day , by changing legislation to assist the shipowner to do so. JS

Strike 'blockades' Britain (1966)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUAOTHz0hnY

[happy daze john in oz]

I always find it amusing when those who have not been to sea can take sides on this issue, often union persons but not always.
I had just come ashore in 66 and had taken up work in Jersey for the season, a season cut short as the ferries stopped running when the strike hit.
So many other people were hurt by this one, but that is often the case in many instances of strikes.
Those worst hit are the unfortunate bystanders.

[Keith at Tregenna]

Doubt the BBC went to see but, have good archives.

K.

[j.sabourn]

Thing is Keith their archives come from people who also had nothing to do With the sea. Copies of old newspapers and the likes. The likes of Nelson being a slave trader He was the same as most people today an investor of his money in shares. People now try and brand him as such. You might by the same token brand all those who have shares in women’s make up , violators in animal cruelty. ..The Internet has its limitations . Is an aid only. JS..

[Keith at Tregenna]

Best record we had of the times and Mr T. had not invented fake news.

K.

[cappy]

###the paramount feature in the strike by seamen in the 60s was the NUS seamans president jim slater ...ex collier ships fireman was an avowed communist.....and member of the communist party ...which personally he told to me in the earlier unofficial seamans strike......along at that time with other union presidents trying to hold our country to ransom ......the man has his name on the shields memorial to seaman .....he did as much for seamen as hitler did for germany....but of course who is to blame for his position .....the merchant seaman himself for allowing the bully boys to a free rein...which to be fair is due to a man who is home from a long trip not interested in union affairs....slater said to me personally ....200 quid a month i will get you .....well it my not have caused the downfall of the MN but who would invest in anything whereby a fool and troublecauser could hold it to ransom......this can be called a political statement by me ...but the truth cannot be pushed aside .......cappy

[robpage]

very True Cappy