HC Deb 25 January 1979 vol 961 cc725-7
Mr. Parry

I beg to ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House, under Standing Order No. 9, for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that should have urgent consideration, namely, The grave diggers' and crematorium attendants' strike in Liverpool, following the unsatisfactory pay offer. The hon. Member for Liverpool, Waver-tree (Mr. Steen) made a similar application yesterday, and, although his facts about the dispute are correct, he made a vicious and unfair attack on the trade union movement—

Mr. Speaker

Order: The hon. Member cannot use Standing Order No. 9 applications for debate across the House. He must make out his case as to why I should grant him an emergency debate.

Mr. Parry

I declare an interest as I was formerly a full-time officer of NUPE and I am now a Member of this House sponsored by the TGWU. I fully understand the frustration of the manual workers in the local authorities and the ancillary workers in the Health Service over the pay application that they have made to the employers. It is time some- body told the House the way in which these employees have fallen behind average earnings during the last three years.

For example, in 1975 the average earnings of a male manual worker in a local authority totalled £13.30—lower than the average earnings in other industries and services. In 1978—[Interruption.]

Mr. Speaker

The House must be fair. The hon. Member is seeking to make the case for an emergency debate because the pay of these workers has fallen behind. This point is quite within order and it should be listened to by hon. Members.

Mr. Parry

The level of earnings in 1978 is now £22.40 a week for male employees in the industry. For females it has risen from £4.60 in 1975 to £10.10 in 1978. The figures for the porters and cleaners in the National Health Service are similar. In spite of the wide difference between these earnings and earnings outside, the employers have made the scandalous offer of £1.80 per week. Therefore everyone should understand and appreciate why these workers are going on strike. The Offer to part-time cleaners, who work a 20-hour week, and home helps is a miserable 28p.

I made a special request yesterday to the General and Municipal Workers Union to call off the strike because I feel it is wrong to cause such distress to the families of the dead. I was taught that one of the seven corporal works of mercy was to bury the dead. I said that I hoped that the workers would return to work and that the employers and Government would take note of the wide difference in earnings between the local authority and outside industries. I would hope that this would prevent any further confrontation affecting the general public.

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Member gave me notice before 12 o'clock this morning that he would seek to move the Adjournment of the House for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that he thinks should have urgent consideration, namely, The grave diggers' and crematorium attendants' strike in Liverpool, following the unsatisfactory pay offer. The hon. Gentleman knows that I do not decide whether a matter will be debated. I merely decide whether there should be an emergency debate. I have to rule that the hon. Member's submission does not fall within the provisions of the Standing Order. Therefore, I cannot submit his application to the House.