Move to stop 'blacking' of goods fails
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AN attempt to force officers of the Scottish Transport and General Workers Union to put an end to the "blacking" of goods at Glasgow docks which were to be handled by a road haulage company from Falkirk, failed in the Court of Session last week.
Application for an interim interdict was made before Lord Fraser, the vacation judge, by Mr. A. B. Wilkinson, on behalf of Smith of Maddiston Ltd. He said that earlier in September there was a dispute—which had now come to an end—in one of the petitioner's depots.
He continued: "It appears that arising out of that dispute—and it may be the result of a misunderstanding—the respondents instructed members of their union working as dockers at Glasgow docks not to handle consignments arriving at these docks which were in turn to be handled by the petitioner. "It may be that this arises out of a misunderstanding but efforts to clear this misunderstanding have failed."
A week ago the petitioner was unable to uplift goods delivered within the docks by Burns and Laird Lines Ltd. A driver was told by the dockers that they would not handle the goods and the lorry had to leave unloaded.
Mr. Wilkinson said this involved the petitioner in a breach of contract. He submitted that the actions of the TGWU officers amounted to the producing of breaches of contract on the part of the petitioner. • Refusing the application, Lord Fraser said at the moment he had difficulty in being satisfied that there was a breach of contract, but if further information could be produced he would be willing to consider the matter further.