▁meeting ▁with ▁its ▁represent atives ▁on ▁ 8 ▁April ▁ 1 9 7 4 . ▁At ▁the ▁meeting ▁the ▁U W C ▁demanded ▁new ▁elections ▁to ▁the ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁Assembly ▁which ▁they ▁dismiss ed ▁as ▁und em ocr atic . ▁The ▁meeting ▁soon ▁desc ended ▁into ▁angry ▁scenes ▁with ▁U W C ▁members ▁throwing ▁alleg ations ▁about ▁the ▁treatment ▁of ▁loyal ist ▁prisoners ▁and ▁negoti ations ▁with ▁" ter ror ists " ▁in ▁Dublin ▁at ▁Re es ▁and ▁it ▁ended ▁incon clus ively . ▁ ▁The ▁response ▁of ▁the ▁U W C ▁was ▁to ▁threaten ▁a ▁general ▁strike ▁and ▁pressed ▁ahead ▁for ▁plans ▁of ▁it ▁without ▁the ▁initial ▁knowledge ▁of ▁the ▁Union ist ▁polit icians . ▁On ▁ 1 3 ▁May ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁a ▁large ▁meeting ▁of ▁U W C ▁affili ated ▁people ▁was ▁held ▁at ▁Port r ush ▁and ▁at ▁this ▁Billy ▁Kelly , ▁accompanied ▁by ▁Ty rie , ▁U DA ▁member ▁Jim ▁S my th ▁and ▁Short ▁Brothers ▁shop ▁ste ward ▁Hugh ▁Pet rie ▁announced ▁to ▁the ▁assemble d ▁audience , ▁which ▁included ▁Ernest ▁B air d , ▁Ian ▁P ais ley ▁and ▁John ▁Taylor , ▁that ▁the ▁general ▁strike ▁was ▁to ▁be ▁launched ▁the ▁following ▁day . ▁ ▁St rike ▁ ▁The ▁strike ▁began ▁on ▁ 1 5 ▁May ▁and ▁continued ▁to ▁the ▁ 2 9 ▁May , ▁with ▁the ▁Northern ▁Ireland ▁Assembly ▁pr or og ued ▁the ▁following ▁day , ▁rather ▁than ▁the ▁new ▁elections ▁that ▁had ▁initially ▁been ▁demanded . ▁The ▁strike ▁was ▁interpreted ▁as