§ 53. Sir J. Mellorasked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the imminent conversion of the coal industry into a closed shop, he will relax control of labour and engagements sufficiently to ensure that no individual can be compelled to join a trade union.
§ Mr. IsaacsThe Control of Engagement Order does not operate to compel an individual to join a trade union. The question does not therefore arise.
§ Sir J. MellorIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the President of the National Union of Mineworkers said on 22nd December that the National Coal Board had agreed to a closed shop, and, in the circumstances, will he give an assurance that in no case will any Labour controls be used in such a way as to require a mineworker to join a union against his wishes?
§ Mr. IsaacsThe only thing I can say is that it is not the Government's intention to do anything that will break down agreements entered into between employers and workers.
§ Mr. John McKayIs my right hon. Friend aware that in an industry in which the trade union representatives are the only people to deal with questions of wages, conditions, pensions, holidays and so forth, any man who is in that industry and accepts all these benefits negotiated by the trade union representatives without being himself a member is in reality very much in the nature of a parasite?
§ 55. Mr. Frank Byersasked the Minister of Labour whether he has drawn the attention of all local authorities to Article 22 (2) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; and whether he will indicate to these authorities that, since the adoption of the Declaration by His Majesty's Government, it is no longer open to them to pursue a closed shop policy or to require their employees to join any Association.
§ Mr. IsaacsI would refer the hon. Member to the reply which was given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to his Question of 18th January. I assume that he is referring to paragraph 2 of Article 20 of the Declaration, and would point out that, while this Article covers rights of peaceful assembly and association in general, rights in regard to the formation and joining of trade unions are explicitly dealt with in Article 23 (4). No change is contemplated in the Government's policy of entrusting to organisations of employers and workers the responsibility for determining terms and conditions of employment.
§ Mr. ByersDoes that mean that the Government intend to interpret this Declaration of Human Rights in such a way that they will never have to fulfil it?
§ Mr. IsaacsNo, Sir, but it does mean that the Government will read the appropriate paragraph of the Declaration instead of the one to which the hon. Gentleman refers.