§ Major HENNESSYasked the Minister of Labour what the Government intend doing in the case of discharged and disabled soldiers who, at the instigation of the Government, have learned a trade, but who now cannot obtain employment because they do not belong to a trades union and whose admittance to same is refused by the trade union officials?
§ Sir R. HORNEAgreements made with representatives of employers and trade unions, and embodied in printed reports, provide for the admission of disabled ex-Service men to certain trades if they carry out the conditions laid down in the reports. The preliminary training in institutions and the placing of men in workshops for the completion of their training are supervised by local technical advisory committees, on which the trade unions concerned are represented. If the hon. Member knows cases where trade union officials have objected to the employment of men trained in accordance with the2062W agreed conditions, I shall be glad if he will send me details. In a number of instances where training has not conformed to those conditions it may be necessary for the men to take a further course before they are qualified for normal employment, credit being given for the value of the training already received, as, assessed by the local technical advisory committee.
§ Major WHELERasked the Minister of Labour whether discharged soldiers have been prevented from obtaining employment owing to the action of local trades unions; and, if so, what is being done to enable such men to obtain employment?
§ Sir R. HORNEI have dealt with the question of the absorption of disabled men who have been trained in accordance with trade agreements in my answer to the hon. and gallant Member for Winchester. With regard to ordinary ex-Service men, cases have occurred in which there has been trade union opposition to their employment. It is my practice, as such cases come to my notice, to inquire into them with a view to getting rid of the difficulty.