HC Deb 30 July 1946 vol 426 cc762-3
20. Mr. W. J. Brown

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has reconsidered the case of the 12 L.P.T.B. tramwaymen who, while drawing their pay regularly, are not allowed by the L.P.T.B. to take out their tramcars on the ground that they are members of one union and not members of another; and whether he will make a statement of his intentions on this matter.

Mr. Ness Edwards

I would refer the hon. Member to the replies which my right hon. Friend gave him on 18th June and 11th July,

Mr. Brown

Does the Minister understand that a reply given on 11th July cannot apply to a request for reconsideration very much later in July? May I now ask him whether he is aware that one of these men is the holder of the V.C., and does he not think it an outrage that 12 men should be denied the privilege of work merely because they prefer to be members of one union rather than of another?

Mr. Edwards

Neither should the Minister of Labour become the protector of a scab union.

Mr. Henry Strauss

Has the Minister no plan whatever for ending this enforced and paid idleness at a time of national need?

Mr. Edwards

The Minister has no powers but he will be assisted very materially if hon. Members will help him to obtain a little more discipline in industry amongst the unions.

Mr. Quintin Hogg

Where the right of free association is inconsistent with discipline, is it the policy of the Government to stamp out that right?

Mr. Edwards

If this concerned only the right of free association, there might be some point in the supplementary question, but this is an attempt apparently to destroy the right of men to organise.

Mr. Brown

Is it not the inalienable right of every Englishman who is dissatisfied with one union to join another, and if he does so decide, does that constitute the other union a scab union and result in the kind of position we are discussing today?

Mr. Edwards

It is an inalienable right on the part of the workers in industry to decide with whom they will work. They have that freedom and these men have decided that unless the other men concerned join their union they will withdraw their labour, as they are perfectly entitled to do if they so desire.

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