§ Mr. Harold Walkerasked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will intervene in the threatened lock-out of provincial journalists by the Newspaper Society;
(2) if he will seek to discuss with the Newspaper Society its threat to dismiss journalists in its employ unless they give a non-strike pledge;
(3) if the action of the Newspaper Society in requiring journalists in its employ to sign a non-strike pledge under the threat of dismissal is compatible with the principles of the Code of Industrial Relations Practice.
§ Mr. BryanThe National Union of Journalists gave notice to the Newspaper Society on 29th November that all its members in provincial local newspaper offices would withdraw their labour from 29th December. The Newspaper Society has formally accepted this notice and has told the journalists in its employ that employment will be regarded as having terminated on that date, except in cases where individuals sign a statement signifying that they do not intend to withdraw their labour and will work normally.
I shall continue to keep the situation under review, but I do not judge it would be helpful to intervene at this time or to comment on the actions of either party.