T.U.C. SPLIT THREATENS

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32706, 8 September 1971, Page 17

T.U.C. SPLIT THREATENS

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) BLACKPOOL

(England), September 7. Britain’s trade union movement today gave a cool reception to hints of union co-operation with industry in keeping down wage claims.

Lord Cooper, President of the 10,000,000-strong Trades Union Congress (T.U.C.), held out tiie olive branch at the opening of the T.U.C.’s 103rd annual congress, which is expected to see bitter battles over the Conservative Government’s new industrial relations legislation. Conference observers pre-

diet a deep split in later sessions between Left-wing and Right-wing unions over conflicting approaches to the new legislation. The big engineering and transport unions, with a total of 3m members, are urging the T.U.C. to instruct affiliated unions to. refuse to enrol with the new agency set up by the industrial relations legislation for registering unions and employers associated.

At present, the T.U.C. wording merely “advises” unions' not to register. But some Right-wing unions, including Lord Cooper’s General and Municipal Workers, fear that nonregistration might result in heavy fines being levied against them. They therefore oppose the Left-wing call to stiffen up the T.U.C. wording. In , his presidential speech at today’s congress, Lord Cooper hinted at union cooperation in combating inflation.

? He said that if manufac- ' turers kept price increases ' within. reasonable bounds, ! this; coupled with economic ' growth would enable unions ' to draft wage, claims that . would, offer . workers a real increase provoking excessive 1 inflation. 1 The 1000 delegates gave the • suggestion only lukewarm ! applause. * Lord Cooper has been taking part with Government . representatives and Industrial ’ leaders in efforts to find a way of keeping inflation with- . fa bounds. ; - > Lord Cooper has been a I life-long trade unionist He , wfaucreafed. a peer in 1966, j and is a former Labour mem- > ber of the House of Comi mons. Mr lan Mikardo, the Left-

wing chairman of the opposition Labour Party, told the congress that relations between the trade union movement and Labour were how closer than they had been for a very long time. Mr Mikardo strongly urged delegates to oppose Britain’s entry into the European Common Market. He attacked what he called “Eurofanatics”, who said Britain outside the Market would be unable to take full advantage of advanced technologies.

On the claim that growth in the six-nation Common Market had been greater than in Britain, Mr Mikardo said that a good deal of the Common Market growth had

been by. American firms established in Western Europe.