§ Mr. Awberyasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) how many strikes have taken place in Singapore during the past two months; how many are now proceeding; what are the chief causes; and what is being done to create the necessary conciliation machinery to prevent them;
(2) how long the Post Office Uniformed Staff Union of Singapore were waiting for negotiations to commence over their wage claim before they decided to strike; and what steps he is taking to speed up such negotiations.
148W
§ Mr. Hopkinsonpursuant to his replies [OFFICIAL REPORT, 28th May, 1952; Vol. 501, c. 1349–50] supplied the following further information:
The three strikes which took place recently in Singapore and their chief causes were as follows:
(1) The National Carbon (Eastern) Limited
A demand was made for severance pay when 240 workers were retrenched. The remaining 310 employees struck in sympathy. The strike has been settled.
(2) The Singapore Traction Company
Employees stopped work in order to attend Court where two conductors employed by the Company were being charged with criminal breach of trust by misappropriation of fares. No trade dispute appears to have been involved, and work was resumed after two days.
(3) Posts and Telecommunications Uniformed Staff
The strike arose from failure to reach agreement on improved salary scales for certain grades and on the effective date of their introduction.
This strike was settled on the 28th May when agreement was reached with the Union on increased rates of pay, with effect from 1st January, 1951.