The Press THURSDAY, MAY 3, 1973. Stern talk from Mr Skinner

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33215, 3 May 1973, Page 20

The Press THURSDAY, MAY 3, 1973. Stern talk from Mr Skinner

A strong plea by the president of the Federation of Labour (Mr T. E. Skinner) for responsible unionism and less loafing might have surprised anyone who believes that union leaders usually leave that sort of exhortation, quite safely, to employers and Government Ministers. It is a line which, if accepted by all union members, would make the task of the Government much easier. Mr Skinner made no secret of his desire to co-operate with the Government Indeed, the Government’s success in many fields depends on the co-operation of the trade unions, and Mr Skinner would obviously like to bring credit to the F.O.L. for averting the kind of industrial action that undermines the welfare of the community — and of unionists as members of the community.

Mr Skinner's statement on industrial behaviour was a model of good sense and responsibility. He has emphasised a fact which some unionists — like other groups in society — sometimes forget: that they are citizens first, and their role as unionists is secondary. In short, he urges workers to use their industrial power and their democratic freedoms with responsibility. Mr Skinner may be bent on reinforcing the authority of the F.O.L. itself when he warns against hasty and ill-considered action by individual groups, and when he urges wider consultation. In asking unionists to settle disputes without work stoppages wherever possible, and to play their part in a united community effort, Mr Skinner is giving what must be very welcome support to Mr Kirk’s call for greater productivity. Mr Skinner probably reflects the views of most workers when he talks so severely about those in the community who would rather subsist on the small unemployment benefit than take work which is offering. The number of those drawing unemployment benefits who could be categorised as work-dodgers is probably very small—almost certainly less than 1000. Mr Skinner appears to believe that many of them are young " drop-outs ”. When the F.0.L,. industry, or the Government take the trouble to identify the cause of this social phenomenon, they may well find that it lies in the boring, repetitive nature of the work offered. Elsewhere in the world, this problem is now being taken very seriously, and efforts to make work more interesting and fulfilling — often by giving all workers a share in responsibility — would bear careful study. Meanwhile, in the absence of much effort to remove the causes of the problem described by Mr Skinner, a proportion of misfits will go on drawing unemployment benefits without strictly deserving them.