§ 6. Mr. Burkeasked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that a spinner earning £5 15s. per week at a Lancashire ordnance factory has been transferred to a cotton mill at Brierfield, Lancashire, where, owing to lack of work, he could earn only £2 16s. per week; and will he take steps to see that transferred workers are able to earn more adequate and comparable wages?
§ Mr. BevinI am unable to identify the case to which the hon. Member refers, but if he will give me the name of the worker concerned, I will make further inquiries.
§ Mr. BurkeDoes my right hon. Friend realize that it affects a number of people who, because work at a particular mill has fallen off, are not able to earn a rate of wages anything like comparable to that at the place from which they have been removed?
§ Mr. BevinI cannot guess the mill, and I cannot guess the place. If I am told where to look, I will investigate the matter.
§ Mr. SilvermanDoes not my right hon. Friend know that there are numerous cases?
§ Mr. BevinI am not aware of it. I should have thought, if we were doing this, as nearly everyone in the cotton trade is a member of a union, the executive of the union would have made representations to me.