§ Colonel Glynasked the Minister of Labour what are the terms reported to him for settlement of the dispute in the printing industry which have been demanded by the trade unions; and what terms have been offered by the employers.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodI understand that, broadly, the principal items in the unions' claim are a 10 per cent. increase in wages and a reduction of the working week to 40 hours and that the employers have offered a 2½ per cent. increase in wages and a reduction to 42½ hours in 125W the working week, coupled with proposals which in their view would improve the efficiency of the industry.
§ Colonel Glynasked the Minister of Labour how far it was a condition agreed by both the Master Printers' Federation and the 10 printing unions, and reported to him, that any industrial dispute, which had not been resolved by the joint industrial conciliation machinery, should be referred to arbitration; to what extent any of the opposing parties are expressing willingness to carry out that agreement; and which are in breach of it.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodThe constitution of the Joint Industrial Council of the Printing and Allied Trades allows for the adoption of special procedure in the event of a breakdown in negotiations. It is, I understand, the case that the employers have expressed their willing-126W ness to have the dispute referred to any mutually acceptable form of arbitration but that the unions have not so far been willing to follow that course.