British Workers Ask For Greater Say in Nationalised Industry

Grey River Argus, 25 August 1949, Page 8

British Workers Ask For Greater Say in Nationalised Industry

LONDON, August 23. The annual report of the Trades Union Congress shows that serious differences have developed between the trades union movement and the British Government over the conduct of nationalised industries. The T.U.C. report says that the General Council of the Congress now proposes to present the following specific demands to the Government :— (1) As far as possible the consultative machinery in nationalised industries should be used before policy decisions are made by the management. Consultation should not be merely an advance notification to the work ‘ people’s representatives of policy decisions which have already been taken. (2') A proper attitude towards joint consultation should be encouraged on both sides. In thel T.U.C.’s view, this requires the training of officials as well as work people to infuse an enthusiasm for success into nationalised industry. (3) Officials with long pre-national-isation experience should be re-edu-cated, so that they shall acquire a sincere desire to consult in the fullest sense of the term with the work people’s representatives. (4) Schemes whereby trade unions may share in the responsibility of conosoidering candidates for promotion should be considered. The report summarises replies by 27 major unions to questions about nationalisation, and this summary shows that most of the unions are far from satisfied with recent developments.