DIRECTION OF LABOUR IN BRITAIN CONTROVERSIAL SUBJECT

Evening Star, Issue 26155, 17 July 1947, Page 7

DIRECTION OF LABOUR IN BRITAIN CONTROVERSIAL SUBJECT

(N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent..) (Bee. 11 a.m.) LONDON, July 16. By suggesting that Britain “ must of necessity accept a limited measure, of direction of labour,” Mr Arthur Deakin, general secretary of the world’s biggest union—the Transport and General Workers’—has brought to the fore a topic that is likely to arouse controversy throughout the country. While many will agree with his contention that “ there are a great number of people in this country who are doing no useful job of work,” and that there are thousands , who ought to be placed in productive industry at once, there is a large body of rank-and-file opinion, both in the trade unions themselves and in the Labour Party, which abhors any idea of direction. . ' ■' Yet, as the months go by, with Government and trade union exhortations; for harder work and more output meeting with limited public response, and as Britain’s economic position has daily grown graver, there is a growing body of public opinion which believes that sooner or later the Government must take some drastic action to bring home to the country at large the serious position in which Britain stands. POLITICAL VIEWPOINT. It is commented that as leader of Mr Bevin’s old union it is not likely that Mr Deakin Would have taken: such a strong line unless he felt sure that the, Foreign Secretary would support it. ; In some, circles* it is regarded as a clear indication that the Government is preparing to reintroduce some of the war-time measures to ensure that the basic productive industries are manned up to an efficiency level as quickly as possible. —' ‘ While some support Mr Deakin on fhe grounds of national emergency others, see; in it the undermining of every principle of free association in industry They dislike the idea of meu and women being uprooted from their homes and sent-to various parts of the country. Those who' take the political viewpoint in opposing the direction of labour emphasise that it is the logical outcome of Socialism. They declare that the Socialist policy of control of the means of production, distribution, and exchange inevitably leads to complete control of labour and they, therefore, extol the virtues of free enterprise under which industry attracts labour by better wages and amenities. GOVERNMENT WANTS UNION SUPPORT. The sequel to Mr Deakin’s suggestion will be awaited with wide interest.. Several other topics of national interest were touched on at this conference of the Transport and General Workers’ Union. They included the question of payment by results to increase production, which Mr Deakin asked the, union to adopt, and a request to thO; Government that it should end the progressive reduction of food subsidies and abandon preferential treatment, in wages and conditions promised to undermanned industries. These, and various other questions, will be discussed by the T.U.C. Gene-.-rul Council next week and it is anticipated that Cabinet will be greatly influenced in its planning for increasing production by the views of the trade unions. It is widely felt that sooner or' later the Government must take drastic action to bring home to people generally the gravity of the country's position and that it will welcome support of the unions in making decisions which may effect . the Government’s popularity.