§ 7. Mr. Dykesasked the Secretary of State for Employment what estimate he has made of the total numbers of adult male and female employees in both the manufacturing and services sectors who were laid-off temporarily in the recent industrial disputes and have not been reinstated, even where the relevant dispute has ceased.
§ Mr. Harold WalkerNo precise records are available, but it is believed that virtually all those who were temporarily laid off as a result of the transport disputes will have been recalled by their employers by now.
§ Mr. DykesIn view of the peak figure of lay-offs, which was nearly 250,000, and the figure of 85,000 only a week ago, which was the result of unofficial or quasi-official trade union action, is the Minister satisfied that union leaders will have sufficient control over their militant members who have taken unofficial action and caused people to be unemployed, solely through trade union action?
§ Mr. WalkerI am sure that the whole House regrets unofficial trade union action, and I am also sure that it wishes trade union members to observe the policies that are laid down by their national executives and leaders. But, of course, trade unions are not armies and trade union general secretaries are not colonels in command of a regiment.