Union Protest At Political Appointment

Chronicle (Levin), 11 June 1949, Page 5

Union Protest At Political Appointment

Received Friday, 7 p.m. LONDON, June 10. Five important trades unions — the Eleetrical Trades Union, Amalgamated Engineering Union, National Union of Enginemen and Firenien, General and ■ Munieipal Workers' Union and Transport and General Workers' Union, have lodged formal objections against the appointment of Sir Joseph Hallsworth, aged (34, to the ehairmanship of the northwestern area Electricity Board where Iie is to replace Mr. George Gibson who resigned as the result of comments made upon his conduct by the Board of Trade Inquiry Comniission under Mr. Justice Lynskey. The unions have objeeted to - (Sir Joseph Hallsworth. 's appointment on the grounds that he knows nothing about the eleetrical supply industrv and has no special qualifications for the position. Sir Joseph. Hallsworth has already resigned an important executive position with the National Coal Board to take up, -his hpw post which carries a salary of £4000 yearly. He was formerlv a well known trades union organiser and took a leading part in the establishment of tlie ShopworkersUnion. A spokesman representing the five unions objeeting to the appointment, said: "We object strongly to political appointments. The best men in the industry eannot rise to the top because tliey are robbed of the spur of ambition. First we had Mr. Gibson, a former asylum attendant, as chief. We grumbled at that ehoice. Now we have Sir Joseph Hallsworth. whose background is witk the Shopworkers' Union and Coal Board. Surely an eleetrical expert could have been ehosen. We know many technieians who could fill the post." The unions kaye made their protest directly to the Mi'nister of Fuel and ! Power, Mr. Hugh Gaitskell, and have asked for an immediate review of the , appointment*