§ 6. Mr. Marlowasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are covered by closed shop agreements protected by law.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Employment (Mr. Peter Bottomley)Very few. I am aware from press reports of only three such ballots in favour of a closed shop. They covered about 1,100 employees. From 1 November, unless a closed shop has been overwhelmingly approved in a secret ballot, there is an automatic claim for unfair dismissal.
§ Mr. MarlowDoes this not prove that the old, anti-democratic, unrepresentative closed shop, which has made little kings out of bullies and machiavellian princes out of knaves, is now a thing of the past?
§ Mr. BottomleyIt demonstrates that unions do best for their members when their members are voluntary members.
§ Mr. EasthamIs the Minister aware that in New Zealand the Conservative Government introduced 26 pieces of repressive legislation against trade unions, which brought absolute chaos to New Zealand, and that they have now been kicked out and the Labour Government intend to repeal the repressive legislation? Do the British Government intend to follow a similar course?
§ Mr. BottomleyThe Government will seek to follow political democracy with trade union democracy and to give more power to union members to control their own futures and unions. I suspect that the hon. Gentleman will support that.