HC Deb 27 March 1973 vol 853 cc1084-5
16. Mr. Roy Hughes

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement about the dispute involving boilermakers at the Spencer Works, Llanwern, Newport, Monmouthshire.

Mr. Chichester-Clark

About 300 members of the Boilermakers' Union employed at the British Steel Corporation's Spencer Works have been on unofficial strike since 6th February following the dismissal of a shop steward over an incident involving a foreman. Some 3,000 other workers have now been laid off as a result.

Conciliation officers from my Department have held joint and separate discussions with representatives of the corporation and the Boilermakers' Union, but I regret that agreement on a basis for a return to work has not yet been found. Informal discussions are continuing and my officers are giving what help they can.

Mr. Hughes

Does the Minister appreciate that the strike resulted from a minor incident and that several thousand people have now been put out of work? Does he not feel that the British Steel Corporation is adopting a rather intransigent attitude by insisting on sanctions against the man concerned before submitting the case to an independent arbitration? Will the Minister, in view of the serious social consequences involved, institute an inquiry into the dispute so that the full facts can be ascertained and the men can get back to work?

Mr. Chichester-Clark

I do not think that an inquiry would be helpful in the present circumstances. For that course to be taken there has to be a basis for a return to work, and that would need to be found first.

I do not think that I should comment on the merits of the dispute. Certainly there was an incident involving one worker. Whether that incident was a serious one is not for me to say. It was open to the dismissed employee to make a complaint to an industrial tribunal under the unfair dismissal provision of the Industrial Relations Act. Apparently he decided not to do so.

Mr. Callaghan

As the Minister has said, the dispute involves only one man, and thousands of men are now out of work as a result. Will he tell us what is the objection to the proposition that I put forward, following my hon. Friend, that the man, whatever the merits or demerits of his offence, should be allowed to return to work without prejudice to an immediate disciplinary inquiry? That would entirely cut the ground from under those who wish to strike—from the 275 men who are on strike—and thousands of men could then get back to work. The disciplinary inquiry could be held immediately, and the verdict would have to be accepted. None of us knows the facts. Is not this a case where, for the sake of one man, it should be possible to allow him to return to work, provided an immediate disciplinary inquiry is held?

Mr. Chichester-Clark

As I understand it, the BSC is prepared to go to arbitration provided that there is a full return to work and the dismissed shop steward remains suspended without pay. The union officials would agree to go to arbitration and to return to work provided that the shop steward was taken back or suspended on full pay. I would not want to comment further on that. If we can achieve something by conciliation, that is always open, but I do not think we can go further than that today.