§ 29. Mr Boxasked the Minister of Labour whether he will introduce legislation to prevent the victimisation of individual trades unionists by their unions or their fellow members.
§ Mr. GunterNo, Sir. The law affecting the activities of trade unions and employers' associations is one of the subjects being considered by the Royal Commission on Trade Unions and Employers' Associations.
§ Mr. BoxWould the Minister agree that the case of which I have sent him some particulars, in which Mr. Mike Reardon has been victimised and prevented from working by his colleagues in the Transport and General Workers' Union for the past nine months or more, is a glaring example of the need for such legislation? Whilst the Royal Commission is coming to its conclusions, will the right hon. Gentleman use his influence with the general secretary of the union to see that Mr. Reardon is re-employed immediately?
§ Mr. GunterI do not want to pursue that case. The hon. Gentleman knows all about it. There were faults on both sides. I still say that it is something that ought not to have happened, but there were faults on both sides, as the inquiry found.
Mr. HeferWill my right hon. Friend make it quite clear that he does not accept this demand for legislation? Further, whilst we are investigating problems like this, will he observe the difficulty that certain workpeople find as the result of a sort of black list operated by the employers?
§ Mr. GunterI think that my hon. Friend and I would be in a major degree of agreement on the question of legislation. Many hon. Members, and many people outside the House, talk of legislation as though it could cure the problem; industrialists on the other side of the House know that it could not. One can only have legislation that can be enforced, and I doubt whether in this field of industrial relations—and hon. Members opposite know this—we can ever have a state in which legislation will be effective.