§ 24. Mr. Montgomeryasked the Secretary of State for Employment how many representations he has had from people who complain that they were denied the right to work by trade union activity.
§ Mr. WaddingtonWe receive such representations regularly and in substantial numbers. In particular, we recently received around 50 letters from individuals and from groups of individuals complaining that they had been threatened or intimidated by their trade union into striking on the TUC's so-called day of action. We also received a number of similar letters in relation to the recent strike action against the privatisation of British Telecom. In addition to these representations, we have now received over 230 applications for compensation, under the provisions of the 1982 Employment Act, from individuals who claim that they lost their employment between 1974 and 1980 as a direct result of their refusal to belong to a trade union in a closed shop.