§ 75. Mr. FIELDasked the Minister of Labour if he can give any information to the House as to the nature of the conference held on Tuesday, the 19th instant, at the offices of the Chief Industrial Commissioner, Old Palace Yard; and whether he can state to what Departments the inquiries of the Committee on Production apply?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI am not at all certain to what conference the hon. Member alludes, and am unable, therefore, to give a definite reply to his questions. The principal conferences held on Tuesday, the 19th instant, were (1) an arbitration case before the Committee on Production between representatives of the Engineering Employers' Federation and various trade unions having members employed in federated shops and foundries, to deal with applications made by the unions for an advance of wages to their members employed in federated shops and foundries; (2) the adjourned conference, presided over by Sir Richard Lodge, dealing with claims made by the Amalgamated Society of Engineers on behalf of their members employed in Irish railway shops. The Committee on Production is a Court of arbitration, to which any industrial dispute may be referred.
§ Mr. FIELDCan the hon. Gentleman say what has been done in relation to the Irish railway servants?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI understand that the parties concerned came to an agreement and that that agreement was to be referred to the men. The award will be given when the men return to work.