§ 3. Major-General Sir ALFRED KNOXasked the Minister of Labour whether officials at Employment Exchanges are authorised to make arrangements with employers exclusively to employ men sent by the Exchange, refusing men applying direct; and whether Exchange officials are permitted to refuse a green card to men seeking jobs?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONIt is open to employers to arrange to engage their labour 2080 exclusively through the Employment Exchange, and a number of employers find it convenient and advantageous to make such an arrangement. The "green card" is an introduction from the Exchange to the prospective employer, and signifies that the person named on it has been selected by the Exchange for submission for a particular vacancy. My hon. and gallant Friend will see, therefore, that the card cannot be given to anyone who has not been so selected.
§ Sir A. KNOXOn what principle do they select men?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONOn the principle of suitability for the job.
§ Sir A. KNOXHow does the exchange know about suitability? Surely the foreman on the job knows best what type of man he wants. When a man applies direct why is he refused the job?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONAs I stated, some employers arrange to engage all their labour through the exchanges. An exchange, therefore, knows approximately what type of man is suitable for that employment. Of course, there is nothing at all which prevents a man from applying on his own account, if he thinks he can get a job. The system is devised really to help the man.
§ Mr. TINKERHow about men engaged on relief work? Is the matter left in the hands of the exchange officials, who send the likeliest men for the job according to the time that they have been unemployed?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONWhere all labour is engaged through the exchange, the exchange does its best to select suitable men for the job.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODIs it not the case that it was the original purpose of the employment exchange to find work for the unemployed?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONThat certainly was one of the purposes for which employment exchanges were instituted.
§ Lieut.-Colonel ACLAND-TROYTEDo the exchanges encourage or discourage men from applying for work on their own account, and do they refuse a green card to men who have sought work on their own account?
§ Sir H. BETTERTONThe exchange will always encourage men to find jobs in any way they can.
§ Sir A. KNOXWill my right hon. Friend look into the facts if I send them to him? I have the case of a man who was nine months out of a job. He applied direct to a firm and was refused the job, and was told to go to the exchange.
§ Sir H. BETTERTONI wall gladly look into any case of that kind.
§ Mr. HICKSIs it not the fact that if a man gets employment he does not want a green card at all? If he goes to a foreman and gets a job, there is no need for a green card?