The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1941-02-27
LABOR news
FROM BRITAIN
. SECTIONAL INTERESTS
. TO WAR NEEDS
. ALL WAR WORKERS
. TO BE REGISTERED

significance to secure a hundred per
cent organization of man-power for
essential industries and services, and
to use labor for a still greater step
ping-up of production, are now en-
gaging the attention of the Trade
Unions.
The Governments plans involve a
wide extension of the States au-
thority over industry. 1t is mislead-
ing to say they signify transcription
of labor. 1t would be better to speak
of it as State controlled industry, be-
cause the powers of control which the
State is to exercise in vital trades and
services will not apply only to the
workers. Employers will be subject
to them in equal degree.
Big schemes of State-employed la
Dor have already been worked out for
industries which are declared natl
onal industries for the purposes Of
the war, beginning with dock labor
and the building trades.
The breadth and direction of the
Governments industrial policy be-
comes clear in the statement of the
Minister Of Labor when Parliament
reassembled. Ernest Bevin indicated
that the War Cabinet had approved
the policy which has been framed to
ensure that the labor force available
in the country will be used to the best
advantage. The scheme is revolution
ary.
For certain vital types of war work
it is to be laid down that employers
must not dismiss workers, except for
misconduct; nor can worker leave
vital war work without the Ministry's
sanction. Where workers can no long
er be employed in a particular place,
they will be transferred to the Min
istry's Employment Department for
service elsewhere. Wages for such
transferred labor are to be at the rate
for the job, with allowances for
travelling and maintenance where
necessary.
X X X
Management is likewise to be sub
jected to rigorous supervision. Where
the Government authorities are salts
fed that proper relations between the
management and the factory person
mel do not exist, or where machinery
for workshop consultation is defec-
tive, a Personnel Controller will be
appointed.
Responsibility will rest upon this
officer for the "'hiring and firing" of
labor in the particular undertaking to
which he is appointed. All questions
of workers welfare in the plant will
also be under his control.
Plant operations will moreover be
very much under the supervision Of
the State authorities. Steps are to
be taken to prevent systematic short
time and excessive overtime-phenom-
ena which have been condemned as
war time anomalies. If necessary,
the number Of hours to be worked in
any plant will be prescribed. All re-
strictions on production, whatever
their nature, are to be reviewed.
Under proper safeguards for the
postwar restoration of Trade Union
customs and agreements, they will be
set aside wherever they conflict with
the interests of the State and the
needs of war.
These revolutionary arrangements
are likely to be applied first in con-
nection with dock labor and the per-
sonnel of the building trades. No Off
cial statement has yet been made,
but it is expected that the Govern
ment will shortly declare these to be
national industries" in the sense in
dicated by Ernest Bevin.
Announcement is also expected of
the Government scheme for the en-
rollment of women for war indus
tries. The basis of the scheme for
mobilizing women's labor is system
of age-group registrations. This reg
istration system is to be applied now
to every type and form of gainful
occupation.
X X X
In his statement to Parliament the
Minister of Labor intimated that a
careful survey is being made not only
Of work done by men that women
can do, but of persons employed in
Offices and on managerial and admin
istrative work.
The object is to see whether by re-
arrangements of duties men can be
released from office work for pro-
duction. Mr.. Bevin stressed the point
that this would naceSSitate industrial
registration by age-groups, and that
it would apply to everybody-to heads
of firms and directors of companies,
as we'll as managers, supervisors and
other classes of black-coated workers.
Meanwhile close scrutiny is be-
ing made of all the entries on the
register of reserved occupations An
advisory committee Of three has been
set up to make this examination in re-
spect Of men reserved in managerial
and supervisory occupations in the
London area