§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That this House do now adjourn."—[Mr. Redmayne.]
§ 10.35 p.m.
§ The Minister of Labour and National Service (Sir Walter Monckton)Mr. Speaker, I am glad to inform the House that, as a result of discussions which have taken place between the British Transport Commission and the three trade unions concerned, agreement has been reached on the following terms:
The National Union of Railway men are immediately withdrawing the instructions to their members to cease work on Saturday next at midnight. I should like to take this opportunity of expressing the appreciation of Her Majesty's Government at the patience shown by the various parties which has resulted in this agreement, and to wish them success in their future negotiations.
- 1. The British Transport Commission have confirmed their acceptance of the award of the Railway Staff National Tribunal for an increase in rates of pay of salaried and conciliation staff. They are ready to implement it. In the light of the following, this position is accepted by the trade unions.
- 2. The British Transport Commission are prepared to examine with the trade unions their whole wage and salary structure. The British Transport Commission contemplate that this examination would be completely exhaustive, without conditions of any kind. Its purposes would be to correct anomalies and give added incentives (including differentials) in desirable cases; and to investigate all standard rates of pay.
- 3. At the same time the British Transport Commission and the unions agree to confer in order to evolve ways of in creasing the efficiency of the railway organisation, not only by such adjustment of wages and salaries as may result from the above examination, but by all other appropriate means.
- 4. Recognising that the comprehensive review of the whole wage and salary structure will necessarily take some consider able time and that the nature of the claim made by the unions before the Railway Staff National Tribunal precluded the Tribunal from addressing itself to the question of the levels of the standard rates of pay, and after consultation with Her Majesty's Government, the British Trans port Commission have given an assurance that, irrespective of other results emerging from the examination, within two months from the operative date of
532 the award there will be a further improvement on a percentage basis of the standard rates in operation prior to the operation of the Railway Staff National Tribunal award No. 15.
§ Mr. George Isaacs (Southwark)I should like to ask the right hon. and learned Gentleman—since I must put it in interrogatory form—whether he is aware that the community generally will be happy at the knowledge of this settlement, that his expression of appreciation of the patience of the parties concerned is well justified, and that his own patience has been justified?
It is important to notice that this assurance has been given after consultation with Her Majesty's Government, so that we may expect that the right hon. and learned Gentleman is now armed with more powers than any Minister has ever been armed with before. A Minister of Labour has no power of enforcement; he has only the power of his own personality and patience to get any parties to come to an understanding after everybody else has messed it up, and that the right hon. and learned Gentleman has shown to a great extent.
Finally, may I ask the right hon. and learned Gentleman to accept what I thought I was often entitled to, that is, the warm thanks of the House for the work he has done in this matter?
§ Sir W. MoncktonI should like to say that if this result leads to a happy Christmas for many people, it is due largely to the way in which the parties to this dispute have met one another. I ought to mention—and I know that the trade unions will agree with me when I do—the patience and skill and statesmanship of Sir Brian Robertson. I am not selecting him alone. All have done that. If I had not had, as I have had in full measure, the support of a very patient House of Commons I could not have made my small contribution.
§ Major Sir Frank Markham (Buckingham)I welcome the credit that has been given by the Opposition Front Bench to the Government for the very satisfactory issue that has been reached. The whole country will welcome my right hon. and learned Friend's statement, and, in particular, the railwaymen, who were very loth to put the country to the tremendous inconvenience of a strike just now. They will particularly welcome the clause, which the Minister read out, for the immediate improvement of the position.
§ Mr. David Jones (The Hartlepools)May I be allowed to associate all of us who were employed on the railways with the remarks of my right hon. Friend in thanking the Minister of Labour for the perseverance that he has shown? This is not the time in which to suggest to Her Majesty's Government one of the methods in which they can implement the undertaking now given. I want to pay tribute to the statesmanship shown in very difficult circumstances by the leaders of the trade unions, and it would not be unfair to mention the General Secretary of the National Union of Railway men who, during the last few days, has suffered under severe strain and has shown considerable restraint in difficult circumstances. I want to express on behalf of my hon. Friends our appreciation that it has not been necessary to dislocate the business of the country.
§ Several Hon. Members rose—
§ Mr. SpeakerI wish to remind the House of the interests of the hon. Member for Kensington, North (Mr. G. H. R. Rogers) who has the Adjournment debate, out of which all this is coming. Though it is obvious that the news which has been given is pleasing to both sides of the House I hope that hon. Members will remember the interests of the hon. Member.