§ MR. J. WARD (Stoke-on-Trent)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether he has any information as to the date the labourers' wages arbitration award for the Ipswich district ceased to be in force; whether the labourers' trade union, which were parties to the award, were consulted as to its abrogation; whether the wage of 5d. per hour is still the recognised current trade union rate, and paid by all the best firms in the town; and what action, if any, he proposes to take to compel contractors for his Department to comply with trade union rates of wages for all workmen.
§ The following Questions were also on the Paper:—
§ MR. ASHLEY (Lancashire, Blackpool)To ask the Secretary of State for War whether he proposes to maintain the trade union rate of wages in all War Office contracts, in view of the fact that the contractors for alterations at the Royal Artillery Barracks, Ipswich, are paying
† See col. 817–8.1229 labourers 3½d. and 4d. per hour, the trade union rate being ½d.
§ MR. ASHLEYTo ask the Secretary of State for War whether the fair wages clause was inserted in the contract for alterations at the Royal Artillery Barracks, Ipswich.
§ MR. J. WARDTo ask the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the contractors for the alterations at the Royal Artillery Barracks, Ipswich, are paying the trade union rate of 5d. per hour to all labourers on their private work in the district, except that being executed under the War Department; that the local superintendent of works has expressed the opinion that War Office contractors ought not to be compelled to pay trade union rates of wages; and what action, if any, he proposes to take to enforce his pledges upon this subject.
§ MR. HALDANEI will answer this and the three following Questions together. A special inquiry has been made into this case, and it has been ascertained that although labourers at Ipswich were formerly in receipt of a definite rate of 5d. an hour under an award in 1899 made for three years, this state of things no longer exists, and the award appears to be no longer operative. The building trade is depressed and the supply of labour exceeds the demand, and labourers are at present receiving varying rates of pay according to their efficiency. It is impossible for this office to settle anything but what is in point of fact the current rate; when the masters and men have established it the War Office will see that its contractors pay it. The Department has had the utmost difficulty in ascertaining the exact facts in this case, and we are not certain that we have got at them yet, notwithstanding that much trouble has been taken, but to the best of my belief it is not possible to say that the War Department contractors have infringed the Fair Wages Clause of their contracts.
§ MR. ASHLEYAre we to understand that the War Office consider that 3id. per hour is a fair wage?
§ MR. HALDANEThe award as a matter of fact has ceased to exist and there is no definite wage now ruling.
§ MR. J. WARDCan the right hon. Gentleman give us any information as to the methods employed in arriving at this information? Is it correct that inquiry was only made of those contractors who are well known to have always sweated their workmen and to have paid low wages even when the award was in force? Was any fair employer of labour in the town asked what was the proper rate, or Was any trade society consulted in any shape or form?
§ * MR. HALDANEWhat I did was to send down an official, who spent some time in the investigation. He found it extremely difficult to get the facts. The award was made in 1899 for three years, and after that, as trade was good, employers went on paying the same rates, although there ceased to be any definite standards, some men being paid 4½d. and some 5d. Our position is that we call on our contractors to pay a fair rate, and I cannot see that under the circumstances they are not doing so.
§ MR. J. WARDIs it not the fact that the award could not be altered without six months notice being given on either side? Was any notice given that the award was going to be abrogated?
§ * MR. HALDANEwas understood to reply that no such notice was given, but that after the three years elapsed as trade was good the parties went on working without any fresh arrangement, and when trade got bad the supply of labour exceeded the demand and the rates fell.
§ MR. J. WARDI shall raise the Question again.