CONTENTIOUS TEXT

Southland Times, Issue 21275, 22 December 1930, Page 5

CONTENTIOUS TEXT

TRADES DISPUTES BILL

LABOUR GOVERNMENT’S MEASURE

KEEN STRUGGLE EXPECTED

(United Press Assn.—By Telegraph—Copyright.) (Rec. 5.5 p.m.) London, December 20. In the House of Commons the text of the Government’s Trades Disputes . Bill was issued. It abolishes the safeguards introduced in the 1927 Act against a repetition of the general strike. Sympathetic strikes are now legalized if the object is industrial as apart from political, and there is nothing in the clause to limit the number of sympathetic strikes. The High Court, however, has power to declare a strike or lock-out illegal because its purposes are other than a furtherance of a trade dispute, but xiply if the Attorney-General, is a party to the proceedings. The Bill restores the trade unions’ right to make a political levy with a contracting out clause for members, but contribution to a political fund shall not be a condition for admission to a union. Peaceful picketing is allowed, and civil servants are entitled to be members of organizations affiliated to trade unions or the Labour Party. Political authorities foreshadow a fierce struggle over the Bill, which is drafted in very obscure terms. The Conservatives are determined to fight every line. The News-Chronicle, whose views are significant because the fate of the Bill depends on the Liberals’ support, says that the text cannot be passed without modification. The Times, which hitherto had been friendly towards the Labour Government, says the Bill gives trades unions the right to do all.they did in 1926; that is more than the country will tolerate.