Clergymen’s Trade Union Planned

Press, Volume C, Issue 29515, 17 May 1961, Page 15

Clergymen’s Trade Union Planned

(R.Z Pres* Association— Copyright)

LONDON, May 16.

A trade union for clergymen—to protect them from “being exploited on all sides”— is planned by a vicar, according to the “Daily Express.”

Ministers from all over ■ Britain have pledged sup- ' port, the Rev. Peter Blagden- , Gamlen, vicar of St. Barthol- , omew's Church of England, said yesterday. i “Our troubles must be < aired and we need a body to do the airing. I *‘l don’t know whether we 1 would strike—certainly not in priestly ministrations—but 1 it would not be beyond the ; possibility for priests to act ; to support any of their fel- I lows w. urn they feel to have been wronged," he said. 1 “We want to unite to ne- I gotiate stipends that amount I to a living wage, to bring i our professional charges in i line with other professions i and to get some pension i

scheme for widows and a better one for ourselves. “Bishops would not be in the union—they are more like employers. “At the moment we receive only 10s for a funeral and the church caretaker gets 7s 6d We want at least a guinea for the service.” said the Rev. Blagden-Gamlen. “Widows of the clergy get little help from the church and have to vacate a vicarage within three months of their husband's death. “Our pensions are no'iinr like in line with those of bishops The bishops won't help us. They have their secret meeting at Lambeth and look after themselves with a sort of ‘We are all right. Jack* attitude.”