Union leaders ordered not to back dock boycott

A federal judge issued an order Tuesday banning leaders of the International Longshoremen's Association from directly supporting a boycott of cargo bound for the Soviet Union. It was unclear whether the order would lead to the loading of a Greek-flag vessel, the Julia L., that has been awaiting a load of corn for the USSR for three weeks.

The order did not require dockworkers to load the ship, but merely prohibited union leaders from inducing their members to obey a boycott. Union officials said that could open the way to so-called "casual hiring" of dockworkers to load the cargo, but said it was unlikely that any casual hirees would be willing to get involved in such a situation.