Orders of the Day — Re-Armament

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 23 July 1951.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Mr Edwin Leather Mr Edwin Leather , Somerset North 12:00, 23 July 1951

I have no doubt that I shall be criticised by some people who will resent what I am saying, but I believe it to be true. I do not exonerate management because it has many things to answer for, but in the context of this debate I say that the restrictive practices of labour are far and away the most important and difficult problem. As I said about the redistribution of labour, if the Government expect the T.U.C. to go to their constituent unions and say, "Look boys, something has to be done about this," then the Government must give a lead. They cannot simply sit back and say it is up to the trade union movement.

I should have thought that the pamphlet to which I have referred had sounded the death knell of restrictive practices throughout the industry. On page after page we find trade union leaders—all of them respected, experienced men—making statements that any trade union member could accept at their face value as being sound. On page 5 they state that the real problem confronting the unions is to increase productivity. On page 11 they point out that one of the reasons for the higher standard of living in the United States is that there is no serious opposition to new machinery and new methods. On page 30 they point out that another reason is that American unions have no limits or restrictions about the number of machines which any one man can tend. Finally, they state at the end of the report on page 52 that the lack of union restrictive practices is a major contribution to American productivity and, further, that employment is increased by not imposing restraint. I should have thought that was the last nail in the coffin of restrictive practices.

Those are all statements made, signed, sealed and delivered in a T.U.C. pamphlet. These men have given an excellent lead. Surely it is clear that increased productivity alone could go a long way towards solving the problem of the Government. If they will tackle this problem of restrictive practices; if they will sit down wtih the trade unions, take off their coats, and say that something must be done, that would be one way of making up much of the shortage of labour.

If they will tackle that, and the delicate question of redundancy and the re-distribution of labour, then they can make up the gap of half a million men. If they do that, they can succeed in carrying out this programme. If they do not tackle either of these things energetically, then the programme will come to a full stop as sure as fate, and according to the evidence of the Committee. If the programme comes to a full stop, it means grave and disastrous consequences. If those occur, the responsibility will lie squarely on the shoulders of the Government and on no one else.