Management and Trade Unions (Communications) (Hansard, 10 May 1983)

§ 16. Mr. Madel
asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he next plans to meet the chairman of the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service to discuss improvements in communications between management and trade unions; and if he will make a statement.

§ Mr. Tebbit
I have frequent contact with the chairman of the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service.
The Government are firmly committed to the principle that managements should, wherever possible, inform and consult employees about matters that affect them, and we take every opportunity to encourage employers voluntarily to develop procedures that suit their particular circumstances.

§ Mr. Madel
Does my right hon. Friend agree that the industrial relations legislation that the Government have passed has improved communications between management and unions and that the general support that the Government have given ACAS has greatly improved the atmosphere throughout industry?

§ Mr. Tebbit
My hon. Friend is right. I hope that the legislation that we put forward in the next Parliament will continue along that path.

§ Mr. Crowther
Will the Secretary of State take the opportunity, as soon as possible, to read the evidence taken recently by the Select Committee on Industry and Trade about the recent strike at British Leyland? Is he aware that he will then realise that that dispute, which caused the loss of a great deal of production, was due entirely to the utter failure of the management to consult the work force and to take note of its views?

§ Mr. Tebbit
I fancy that the hon. Gentleman had reached that conclusion before he took any of the evidence.

§ Mr. Cryer
Rather than the Government being so obsessed with anti-trade union legislation under the guise of improving industrial relations, why do they not take action to deal with the cause of the really serious loss of days of work, such as unemployment and industrial injury? Have not the Government done virtually nothing about that? Have not the Government had a report on the dangers of asbestos for the past four years? While they were producing vicious anti-trade union legislation, they were doing nothing about the dangers to workers by asbestos.

§ Mr. Tebbit
The hon. Gentleman is wholly wrong. The Government have acted against asbestos. Britain is among the leading countries in the European Community in seeking to extend protection against the hazards of lead. We have strengthened our capacity, especially in some areas such as the Nuclear Inspectorate, where we have offered higher pay to the high-grade inspectors that are needed. There is no doubt in my mind that we have cared well and truly for health and safety.
I wonder why the hon. Gentleman is so obsessed with trying to stop trade unionists from having the right to ballot for their leaders, and why he is also so obsessed with doing all that he can to prevent me from bringing forward measures that will further enhance the opportunities of trade unionists to seek ballots before being put on strike.