- Title: ICELAND GRIPPED BY GENERAL STRIKE
- Date: 14th March 1968
- Summary: 1. SV & CU FULL DUSTBINS 0.08 2. SV CARS TOWING TRAILER WITH RUBBISH 0.13 3. SV PAN MAN EMPTYING RUBBISH INTO HEAP (2 SHOTS) 0.25 4. SV PEOPLE QUEUE FOR MILK 0.30 5. CU CUSTOMER WITH CARTOON OF MILK 0.36 6. LV SOVIET OIL TANKER 0.40 7. GV ZOOM INTO CU LAST DROPS OF FUEL 0.48 8. CU METER 0.51 9. SV INT. DESERTED HOSPITAL CORRIDOR 0.54 10. GV PAN AROUND EMPTY OPERATING THEATRE 1.02 Initials JSU/VS/JB/SGM Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 29th March 1968 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: REYKJAVIK, ICELAND
- Country: Iceland
- Reuters ID: LVA71UWV1AGX8M1JTYKTFD84XADK
- Story Text: TALKS BETWEEN EMPLOYERS, UNION LEADERS AND A STATE CONCILIATOR IN ICELAND, GRIPPED BY A GENERAL STRIKE CALLED ON 4 MARCH BY THE ICELANDIC FEDERATION OF LABOUR, CONTINUE AS THE COUNTRY SLOWLY GRINDS TO A HALT.
THE STRIKERS ARE DEMANDING WAGES TIED TO A PRICE INDEX AND A RISE IN PAY FOLLOWING THE DEVALUATION OF THE KRONA IN DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR.
SO FAR BUSES CONTINUE RUNNING, BUT PRIVATE CARS ARE VANISHING FROM THE STREETS AS PETROL RUNS OUT; MILK IS BEING RATIONED TO ONE PINT PER BUYER AND DISAPPEARS EVERY MORNING IN ONE HOUR; HEATING FUEL FOR THOSE HOUSES NOT RELYING ON NATURAL HOT SPRINGS IS EXPECTED TO RUN OUT SHORTLY; GARBAGE IS NOT BEING COLLECTED, AND 13 SHIPS, INCLUDING TWO RUSSIAN TANKERS, ARE LYING IDLE IN REYKJAVIK HARBOUR. HOSPITAL STAFF TOO ARE ONLY TREATING SEROUS CASES. AND THE STRIKE IS ALSO BEGINNING TO HIT BASIC INDUSTRY AS FISHERMEN LEAVE THEIR BOATS.
PRIME MINISTER BJARNI BENEDIKTSSON, IN A TELEVISION BROADCAST EARLIER THIS WEEK, SAID THAT WAGE RISES WERE LIKELY TO HAVE SERIOUS EFFECTS ON INDUSTRY AND LEAD TO UNEMPLOYMENT. THE STATE HAD NO MONEY TO INCREASE ITS FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR INDUSTRY, EXCEPT THAT WHICH IT COULD GET BY MORE TAXATION. THE NATION SHOULD UNDERSTAND, HE SAID, THAT ITS LIVING STANDARDS HAD TO BE LOWERED AFTER LAST YEARS'S 30 PER CENT FALL IN EXPORTS.
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