§ [Sub-section (1b) of Section two of the principal Act shall be construed as if the words "or duties connected with trade union organisation" were added to the Sub-section.]
§ Clause brought up, and read the first time.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Clause be read a second time."
Mr. T. WILSONThis Clause stands in the name of the hon. Member for Leicester, and in moving it I would make an appeal to the House and the Government to recognise that a very large number of the men whom it will affect have been doing extremely good and useful service, not only in connection with recruiting, but also in taking a very active part in settling disputes which have arisen in connection with Government work. They enjoy the confidence of the men engaged in the shipyards, coal mines, munition works, and in work done on behalf of the Government by contractors—on behalf of the nation I should say—in connection with the War. It might be said that their places can be filled, but it would be extremely difficult to fill their places for the simple reason that they have gained the confidence of the men. The men trust them in settling any dispute that may arise between them and their employers or between them and any Government Department. We think that these men would be doing a great deal better work for the nation where they are than if they were taken from that work and put into the Army. I appeal to the President of the Local Government Board to gave his favourable consideration to the 1098 Clause I am moving. I am not suggesting that every trade union official should be exempted from military service; but I suggest, in connection with this new Clause, that the Government might approach the executive committee or the executive councils of the various trade organisations and ask them to schedule—if you like—those men or officials whom they consider indispensable for this work.
I should like to say that some of the officials I have referred to are dealing with work, for instance, such as that of the Insurance Act. Ever since that Act was passed they have been engaged in administering it. Those hon. Members who have had anything whatever to do with the Insurance Act will agree with me when I say that it is impossible for a man to jump into the work of administering that Act right away. It is necessary to train the men to do the work properly. Speaking as a member of a Trade Union I know very well that unions have been pulled up time and time again by the Commissioners and the auditors for the Commissioners in connection with the work done. I trust that, if the Government are not prepared to accept this Clause now, they will agree to make some provision, either in Regulations or on the Report stage, to safeguard the interests—not of the Trade Unions alone, and least of all of the men themselves—but to safeguard the interests of the nation. When I say that I mean this, that these men have, to my own knowledge and to that of the War Office and the Munitions Department, prevented strikes from taking place in connection with work carried out for the Government. And I do say that men who prevent strikes at the present time are carrying out work of national importance, and ought to have their claims—or societies which they represent ought to have the claims—for the services of these men recognised. Therefore, I commend this Clause to the favourable consideration of the House. I beg to move.
§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That the Clause be now read a second time."
§ Sir G. CAVE.I do not want to take any formal point, but I gather that really the hon. Gentleman seeks to bring this, proposal in under B, Cases of serious hardship owing to financial obligations, but in his argument he connected it with A.
§ Sir G. CAVEI should be the last person not to admit that the trade unions and their officials, many of them, have done most excellent work during the War, and I do not wish for a moment to quarrel with anything the hon. Member said under that head. But he will see that it is a little invidious and a little dangerous to make a special exception of men who are in some particular occupation of this kind. If you make an exception of trade union officials you will have other classes making similar claims.
§ Sir G. CAVENo doubt the claims are made. The hon. Gentleman and his Friends are quite at liberty to represent to the tribunals that these men are doing work of national importance and should be exempted. It is another thing to put into an Act of Parliament words exempting a class of men engaged in a certain work. If we agree to this proposal we shall have other claims. Friendly societies and other institutions of that kind would ask—I do not say they could make out as good a case—but we should never get to the end. We cannot put in this Bill such an exemption as the hon. Member proposes, but I do not in the least desire to discourage him or his Friends from making any application to the local tribunal.
Mr. WILSONI fully recognise the force of the right hon. Gentleman's argument, and I do not wish to press the matter any further. I have voiced the views of the people who wished this Clause put down. I know that the Government fully recognise the work these people have been doing, and I ask leave to withdraw.
§ Motion and Clause, by leave, withdrawn.
§ Bill reported; as amended, to be considered upon Monday next, and to be printed. [Bill 41.]
§ The remaining Orders were read and postponed.