PEACE IN INDUSTRY

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 29 November 1927, Page 6

PEACE IN INDUSTRY

INDUSTRALISTS’ LETTER . CONSIDERED BY T. U. C. CONFERENCE FAVOURED. [British Official Wireless.] Rugby. November 26. . The industrialists’ letter was discussed at a meeting of the general council of the Trade Union Congress, and it is understood opinion was predominantly in favour of accepting the invitation, and that it was decided to reply in this sense. This new move was foreshadowed about a month ago, when it was stated that, following the conference of industrial peace, at which Sir Alfred Mond made a remarkable speech, an effort would be made by a group qf progessive industrialists to bring about a representative joint conference. It may be recalled that, after suggesting the need for an industrial league of peace, Sir Alfred Mond outlined a programme, of which the outstanding point was that the term “masters and men” should be regarded as obsolete and managers and men should be “co-partners and co-workers.” Referring to the industrialists’ letter, Mr Ben Tillett, speaking at Salford. said the best brains of toe capitalists must join with the best brains in the Labour movement to save the country’s trade. Without intelligent co-operation on al! sides for respecting bargains, the present chaos in industry. slackness of trade, and the armv of unemployed must continue. Organic changes were essential. All uneconomic overhead charges and uneconomic exactions of finance must ruthlessly be eliminated. Capital and labour must discuss cost prices, profits and wages under the supervision of the State, and thus assure the country full producive capaciy. The “Daily Telegraph” says the Trade Union Congress Council deferred consideration of the industrialists’ letter till December 20. bdt it is understood the mapority of the Labour leaders welcome the letter aiid will accept the invitation to a joint conference early in the New Year.— (A. and N.Z.) CO-PARTNERSHIP SCHEME FOR 40,000 WORKERS “Str Allred Mond, chairman of Impenal Chemical Industries. Ltd— Tho great chemical 'merger' with issued capital of £s6,ooo.ooo—announced an important development in the relations between the director.lte of the company and its 40,000 workpeople all over the country,” .ays the "Daily Chronicle ” The scheme includes;-. “A central labour department to deal with the relations of tho company and its workers. “A system ot, works councils, culminating m a central council equally representing management and workers. “Promotion after five years’ service to a staff grade of workers with improved conditions. “An unrestricted share-holding schema for workers. “The shareholding scheme i s a bona-fide scheme to improve the position of the workmen. We cannot make the world more prosperous by making the rich poorer. We must make the poor richer. The real ■ snl» tion of our industrial problem is to turn the workmen into capitalists.? Sir Alfred Mond, M.P.. informed tin* “Daily Chronicle.” “The important point r.hout the scheme is that there will be no >estriction of the investments of tho worker—no sirecial kind of unmarketable shares, or any other of the deavours which have heen mnde to ■restrict the nath of the worker who really wishes to become a shareholder in the business. ‘.‘Ye are not nut to help people who desire to speculate, but those who desire to save money.” Lord A her con wav Lord Londonderry, Sir Alfred Mond. Sir Josiah Stamp, and other industrialists sent a Jotter to the Trade Union Congress seeking a conference with the general council to discuss industrial relationships and possible steps to enable British industry to meet foreign competition.