§ 71. Colonel Viscount Suirdaleasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, whether, in view of the short working hours during daylight throughout the winter months and the difficulty of paying bonuses on results, he will recommend to the Joint Council of the Building Trade Employers and Operatives a flat increase of 1d. an hour in the wages of all workers engaged on repairs to air raid damage in the London area.
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works (Mr. Hicks)No, Sir; this is a matter which must be left to the well established voluntary joint negotiating machinery in the industry.
§ 72. Sir T. Mooreasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works whether trades union regulations are applied in the case of labour employed in the repair of the bombed houses of London.
§ Mr. HicksThe builders and contractors and their operatives engaged on the repair of the bombed houses in London observe the terms and conditions of the building industry, which are settled by the two sides of this industry as in other industries.
§ Sir T. MooreIn view of the urgent necessity of getting as many repairs as possible done before the worst of the winter comes, will not my hon. Friend suggest that some of the unions should relax their rules imposed on the workers?
§ Mr. HicksThat has never been submitted before and I have never heard of the suggestion that the rules should be relaxed. The terms which are generally agreed between employers and operatives are reasonably fair and the best basis on which to carry the work out. The practices are relaxed so far as interchangeability is concerned. The men do not confine themselves to any particular operation; they will do anything asked by the foreman; and to that extent there is relaxation of rules.