§ 1. Mr. William Brownasked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that members of minority unions in industries to which, since they have disciplinary machinery of their own, the machinery for determining on dismissals provided by the Essential Work Order does not apply; are denied the use of the disciplinary machinery of the industries concerned while being also deprived of the rights of appeal provided by the Essential Work Order; and whether he will take steps to see that they are given the benefit of one or the other?
§ The Minister of Labour (Mr. Ernest Bevin)The answer to the first part of the Question is "No, Sir," and the second part does not therefore arise.
§ Mr. BrownIs not the Minister aware that what I have said in the first part of the Question does apply within the area of the London transport industry and in the case of the railways, and will he not look further into the matter?
§ Mr. BevinAs I understand it, in both cases the men are covered by agreements within the industry.
§ Mr. BrownIs the Minister aware that those agreements do not cover men who are members of minority unions, and therefore the first part of my Question is absolutely correct?
§ Mr. BevinThe question of what is a minority union is not one for me to decide. In some cases minority unions may consist of a small number of skilled men; in other cases they may be break-away unions.