HC Deb 04 April 1978 vol 947 cc225-6
8. Mr. Blaker

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will raise with the International Labour Organisation the question of recognition by the ILO of the Association of Freed Trade Union Workers in the USSR.

Mr. John Grant

I understand that the International Labour Office is already examining the matter in the light of the ILO's constitutional obligations and responsibilities. We await the outcome of that study.

Mr. Blaker

When members of this asociation have been confined to mental hospitals, although they are perfectly sane, simply because they have urged the official trade unions to investigate abuses by the State of labour regulations, is it not time that the ILO should at least investigate the real nature of Soviet trade unions?

Mr. Grant

We certainly would not want to condone the misuse of psychiatric treatment or anything of that kind, because it is clearly an abuse or human rights. We think that we should await the outcome of the initial inquiries by the ILO.

Mr. Heffer

Would my hon. Friend accept that many on the the Labour side of the House are concerned that workers in the Soviet Union who want to create free trade unions should be allowed to do so? On the other hand, is it not equally true that Tory Members in particular have never shown their support for the existence of free trade unions in Spain, Portgual, Greece, Turkey or any other country? Is it not true that they are hypocritical in their attitude and are climbing on to a bandwagon? There is a real problem in which they have never shown an interest before.

Mr. Grant

There is a great deal in what my hon. Friend says. I am not convinced by the record of the Tory Party on the question of free trade unionism in this country.