Faint hope in ‘Times’ dispute

Press, 25 January 1979, Page 9

Faint hope in ‘Times’ dispute

NZPA London I i A blueprint which could i solve “The Times” newspaper i dispute has been “defined,” the Employment Secretary : (Mr Albert Booth) has told i the House of Commons. i He did not elaborate and s admitted that al! his efforts 1 so far to end the deadlock between Lord Thomson and i trade unions, which has now : lasted eight weeks, had ; failed. i “But,” he told the House, i “we have defined a way in which negotiations could ' proceed to resolve the dis- t pute. I would urge the par- t ties to the dispute to seek to ’ implement that agreement.” i Mr Phillip Whitehead i (Labour) said he believed it • crucial to get the parties to- 1 ;

gether because, as every week went by, more and more people were being dismissed by the company. “Is it not clear that we are losing two great, national institutions in what is really a management virility symbol,” asked Mr Whitehead. The Tory shadow Employ-) ment Secretary, James Prior, said the Opposition sup- ’ ported Mr Booth’s “true and real efforts” to bring about: a settlement. If the time was right fori “a fresh initiative,” Mr Prior urged the Government to' take it. Mr Booth said he would do this if “a fresh initiative from me or A.C.A.S. j (the Government arbitration service) might produce an 1 advance.”