TRADE UNIONS NOT SATISFIED WITH CRISIS PLANS

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 September 1947, Page 8

TRADE UNIONS NOT SATISFIED WITH CRISIS PLANS

LONDON, September 26.

“The general council of the Trades Union. Congress is not satisfied, that various aspects of the crisis plan affecting wages are being properly co-ordinated,” says The Time's.

The council has noted the appeal by the Prime Minister (Mr Attlee) in. his crisis speech that workers should not press for wage increases, and the reminder by the President of the Board of Trade (Sir Stafford Cripps) that production costs have an important bearing on sales of exported goods, but the council is also aware of reports that the Chancellor of the Exchequer (Dr Hugh' Dalton) contemplates reducing the subsidies which are holding down food prices. “Trades unions are not disposed to countenance any freezing of wages if the cost of living is to be increased by the Treasury’s action against inflation.”

The Daily Telegraph says: “The Cabinet is now actively engaged in planning to counter inflationary tendencies which are threatening as a result of cuts in consumer goods for the home market. The present expectation is that there will be a spate of demands for higher wages when the Government -allows foodstuffs to find a more natural price level. Subsidies on food at present cost mors than £39,000,000 a year.” The British Trades Union Council passed a resolution criticising Mr Attlee’s crisis speech, and accusing the Government of placing the whole burden of the crisis on the workers, “While the owning and manufacturing classes remain free to increase their profits.” A spokesman said: “The Government does not rely enough on the ability and skill of the worker to run industries. To imagine that America is going to pour gold into the Bank of England is naive, wishful thinking. It is time we turned our eyes away from Wall street and looked towards Europe for a while.” The council recommended the Government to impose a capital levy on the rich, and to seek agreements with the western European countries and the Empire.