§ 37. Mr. Frank Byersasked the Postmaster-General if he will state the reasons for the refusal of the Post Office to grant the usual special leave this year for staff association purposes to members of the National Association of Postal and Telegraph Officers; and if he will make a statement, in view of the difficulties thereby created for the delegates to the annual conference in London.
§ 42 and 43. Mr. J. Langford-Holtasked the Postmaster-General (1) on what grounds 70 delegates of the National Association of Postal and Telegraph Officers were refused special leave to attend their Conference on 26th and 27th April, when hitherto such leave has normally been granted without question;
(2) whether it was on his instructions that the Regional Director, Cardiff, sent the Head Postmaster, Rhyl, a telegram forbidding leave to be given to Postal and Telegraph officers to attend the annual conference of the National Association of Postal and Telegraph officers and cancelling any such leave already given.
§ Mr. Wilfred PalingSpecial leave was refused on instructions from Post Office Headquarters, because the National Association of Postal and Telegraph Officers is not officially recognised. Special leave for association purposes is confined to members of recognised associations.
§ Mr. ByersQuite apart from the merits of the various unions involved, does not the Minister think it most inequitable that the Government of the day should use their power to withdraw from one particular union facilities which they are granting to another union? Will the Minister not reconsider this matter on the grounds of equity?
§ Mr. PalingNo, I do not think there is anything inequitable about it. It is a recognised custom in the Post Office that unions cannot be recognised until they have a certain percentage of the organised members of the staff, and this union has not that percentage.
§ Mr. ByersWould it not be true to say that this is the first occasion upon which this privilege has been withdrawn?
§ Mr. PalingNo. There is nothing new about this business. It has been in operation for years upon years.
§ Mr. Langford-HoltIs not what the Postmaster-General has said incompatible with the Treasury circular, which says that leave may be granted to any bona fide organisation? Not "recognised" but "bona fide."
§ Mr. PalingYes, certainly.
§ Mr. ErrollCould these individuals have attended if they had taken a few days out of their normal entitlement of leave, or would they have been prohibited in any case?
§ Mr. PalingIn cases like this, where they go to the conference in spite of the fact that they cannot get leave under the regulations, it is taken out of their ordinary annual leave.
§ 38. Mr. Boyd-Carpenterasked the Postmaster-General whether he will permit the Kingston branch of the National Association of Postal and Telegraph Officers to take part in negotiations with the postal authorities on a local basis.
§ Mr. Wilfred PalingNo, Sir. I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Tiverton (Mr. Amory) on 21st January.
§ Mr. Boyd-CarpenterIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that his answer in no way relates to the office referred to in my Question. This Association contains a majority of the staff in this office and, as such matters have in any event to be negotiated locally, what are the objections to their being negotiated with a body representing a majority of the staff?
§ Mr. PalingAn arrangement of this kind was in operation for some time some years ago and was found to be unworkable.
§ Mr. Heathcoat AmoryIs the Postmaster-General aware that his decision to refuse recognition in this case, where the majority of members of the grades concerned are members of this Association, seems most unfair to the men concerned and not in accord with principles of proper democratic representation?
§ Mr. PalingIf one had to recognise associations in every office where there happened to be a majority belonging to a particular association, we might have to recognise a multiplicity of associations. In time, confusion would follow.