§ Mr. John Grantasked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will seek to press, through the International Labour Organisation, for steps to be taken that will assist the restoration of free trade unionism in Poland.
§ Mr. AlisonThe hon. Member will be aware of the Government's concern about the imposition of martial law in Poland from the statements in the House made by the Lord Privy Seal on 14 and 22 December. So far as the International Labour Organisation is concerned M. Blanchard, the ILO's director-general, reported in a letter toThe Times on 30 December that on receipt of complaints from two of the major international trade union organisations he had on his own authority requested the Polish Government to admit an ILO mission headed by himself
to establish the facts and help see that the Gdansk agreement, which gave pride of place to the ILO Convention on freedom of association, survives present troubles".We learn with regret that so far the Polish Government have turned down this request. The ILO is particularly well placed to exercise a helpful influence on this situation, and we hope that M. Blanchard will persevere with his welcome initiative. We understand that the complaints made to the ILO will be considered next month by the 129W ILO's Committee on Freedom of Association, which will report to the ILO's governing body the following week when we shall have an opportunity of expressing our views.
Employees in Employment: Great Britain (Thousands) Males Females Full-time Part-time Total Full-time Part-time Total June 1978 12, 392 704 13, 096 5, 478 3, 679 9, 158 June 1979 na na 13, 092 5, 538 3, 776 9, 314 June 1980 na na 12, 831 5, 452 3, 726 9, 178 June 1981 na na 12, 009 5, 162 3, 558 8, 720 na = not available.