§ Mr. W. THORNE(by Private Notice) asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has any information regarding the serious strike of engineers at Barrow-in-Furness?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWThe strike appears to have taken place on Wednesday last, but it has been difficult to ascertain the cause. We gather, from reports of mass meetings which the men had on Thursday and Sunday last, that the cause of the trouble is alleged cutting of time allowances for work done under the premium bonus system. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour on Friday last held a conference of the representatives of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers and other allied trades. As a result of that conference, the representatives of these trades sent the following wire to the men on strike in the district:
The executive representatives of the allied engineering unions disapprove of the stoppage of work at Barrow, and instruct members to resume work immediately; the matters in dispute to be referred to the Minister of Labour, who agrees to have the question of alleged cutting of premium bonus time allowance considered and settled within seven days after resumption of work. The award to be made retrospective.This telegram was approved by my right hon. Friend, and he desires me to 38 say that the offer contained in this telegram is still open to the men. I need hardly say that this interruption of the production of munitions of war is looked upon by the Government with the utmost gravity. Stoppage of work at this time, when other methods of settlement of disputes are open to the men and the employers cannot be too strongly deprecated. We desire to support the request of the men's leaders, as expressed in the above telegram, and urgently appeal to them in the nation's interests to resume work at once, when their complaint will at once be dealt with and a settlement, we hope, arrived at, within the terms of the promise contained in the above telegram.
§ Mr. THORNEWill the notice of the Minister of Labour be called to the necessity of summoning to the anticipated conference, if held, not only delegates from the craft unions, but also from the labour unions that will be affected?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWI will put that to my right hon. Friend, but I gathered in conversation with him that he is hopeful that the course suggested will be followed.
§ Mr. O'GRADYIf it is proved to the satisfaction of the Arbitration Board that any person has been guilty, as alleged, of cutting prices, will that person be punished?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWThat will be most carefully looked into, and I may say, on behalf of the Government, which considered this question this morning, that any cutting of rates would destroy the whole value of the system which has been adopted.