§ Mr. Clinton Davisasked the Secretary of State for Employment at what precise time on 11th May, 1972, he consulted the Transport Salaried Staffs Association as to his proposal to apply to the National Industrial Relations Court for a compulsory ballot; and what was the nature of the consultation.
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§ Mr. Maurice MacmillanThe General Secretary of the Transport Salaried Staffs Association telephoned me shortly after 5 p.m. and told me that he felt unable to accept my earlier invitation to a meeting that evening. He further told me that he was unable to accept the offer of the British Railways Board and was not prepared to ballot the union's membership on this offer. I then told him of my intention to apply to the Industrial Court, on which he did not seek to comment.
§ Mr. Clinton Davisasked the Secretary of State for Employment at what time on 11th May, 1972, he received the unions' reaction to the letter from the board of British Rail which was sent to them that day; in what form the unions made their response; and if he will disclose the exact nature of the response.
§ Mr. Maurice MacmillanShortly after 5 p.m. I learnt from public statements that neither the National Union of Railwaymen nor the Amalgamated Society of Locomotive Engineers was prepared to accept the board's offer. This information was confirmed when subsequent telephone calls to these unions to tell them of my intention to apply to the Industrial Court produced no response. The General Secretary of the Transport Salaried Staffs Association telephoned me at about the same time to say that his union had not accepted the offer.