REPORTS OF COMMITTEES
| Published date | 01 July 1969 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2230.1969.tb01225.x |
| Author | R. C. Simpson |
| Date | 01 July 1969 |
REPORTS
OF
COMMITTBES
IN
PLACE
OF
STRIFE:
A
POLICY
FOR
INDUSTRIAL
RELATIONS
I
THE
proposed new legislation affecting industrial relations is prob-
ably attended by more political implications than exist
in
any other
sphere of legislative activity at the present time.
To
the extent
that the proposals of the White Paper are based on those in the
Royal Commission Report,2 they were guaranteed the mixed
reception that Donovan recei~ed.~
To
the extent that they go
beyond Donovan,
it
is arguable that one of their principal functions
is meeting some of the objections from those who found Donovan
sadly lacking in the spectacular in its proposals to reform industrial
relations. Consideration of the political impact of the White Paper
is thus at least as important as the likely effect
of
its proposals
on
industrial relations, and has unfortunately tended to push the latter
more important consideration into the background. Whilst this
note is concerned with an evaluation
of
the desirability
of
the
proposed changes in industrial relations,
it
is, though, not possible
to ignore the political considerations surrounding some of them.
The substance of the proposals in the White Paper is,
of
necessity, mainly concerned with reform at the collective level,'
since the basis
of
British industrial relations, collective bargaining,
is by definition an institution that operates at this level. Reference
is also made to other
matter^,^
the most interesting of which are
proposals for changes in individual labour relations, to extend the
jurisdiction
of
the Industrial Tribunals and to amend the Contracts
of Employment
1
Cmnd. 3888.
2
Report of Royal Commission
on
Trade Unions and Employers'
Associations
8
In
political comment and from both sides of industry.
4
For the purposes of discussion divided into four areas: (1) reform of collective
bargaining; (2) aids to unions
in
collective bargaining: (3) restrictions
on
freedom of resort to industrial action;
(4)
the function
of
the proposed
Industrial Board.
Of special interest
is
the proposal to extend the protection of
8.
3
of the Trade Disputes Act 1906 to cover inducing breach of
any
contract (para.
loo),
and the continued consideration being given to amendment of
8.
22 of
the National Insurance Act 1965 concerning disqualification from receipt
of
unemployment benefit of those out of work because of
a
trade dispute (paras.
101-102). Proposed reforms in internal union affairs are briefly mentioned
below.
G
Specifically to include jurisdiction over unfair dismissals (paras. 102-104),
and eventually
to
cover all legal aspects of the individual labour relationship
(para. 106).
To
reduce the six months' employment qualificatio~l for its protection
and
to
extend the minimum notice period for long service workers (para. 105).
1965-1968. June 1968 (Cmnd. 3623). Referred to below
as
Donovan.
5
Various.
420
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