§ Mr. McGovernasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware 2224W that the Oilworkers Trade Union, No. 6, put in a claim for increased wages to the Petroleum Association of Trinidad, on 29th July, 1937, and that after long delays between communications they refused to meet the oilworkers' representatives on the allegation that the late Colonial Secretary cabled to the late Governor and instructed him that the Petroleum Association should not meet the workers until the commission's findings were published; what progress has now been made with the negotiations and if any increased wages have been awarded; and, if so, the amount per week for each section?
Mr. M. MacDonaldI am not aware that the position was as stated by the hon. Member in the first part of the question, and can assure him that my predecessor sent no instruction to the former Governor that the Petroleum Association should not meet the workers until the commission's findings were published. The parties in the oil dispute have agreed to submit the matter to arbitration. In the meantime an increase of two cents an hour in the pay of oilworkers has taken place, and many workers have also received merit advances.