HC Deb 19 March 1957 vol 567 cc186-7
9 Mr. Bence

asked the Minister of Labour what steps he proposes taking to end the dispute between the National Union of Bank Employees and the Royal Bank of Scotland, and the British Linen Bank.

Mr. Iain Macleod

My industrial relations officer in Scotland has had discussions with the banks and the union. The banks are not prepared to negotiate directly with the union outside the Joint Conciliation Council of the Scottish Banking Industry, and the union is not prepared to seek representation on that Council. There does not appear to be any further action which my officer can usefully take at present.

Mr. Bence

Does not the Minister realise that many branches of these banks in Scotland have no other trade union organisation except this, and that therefore there can be no negotiation. Will he not look into this again, because many bank employees throughout Scotland are quite unrepresented except for staff organisations, which are really just company organisations through which the men have no representation whatever?

Mr. Macleod

The hon. Gentleman must remember that all I can do in this matter is in conciliation, because it is, of course, within an employer's discretion which organisation he will recognise, and the Ministry of Labour has no standing in the matter.

Mr. Bence

But throughout the whole of Scotland there are hundreds of branches with only this one organisation. Cannot the Minister bring his high office to influence the bank employers that, as this is the only organisation existing throughout hundreds of branches, they should agree to use it as the negotiating body?

Mr. Macleod

Even if those facts were true, the hon. Gentleman is avoiding the dilemma which I put to him. All I can do in this matter is limited to conciliation, and that, through my officers, I have tried to do.