Following the Rookes v. Darnard judgement, in which the House of Lords ruled against the Draughtsmen's union, and in so doing placed in jeopardy the right to strike, a whole chorus of employers! and conserv~ ative organs have begun to demand legal action to 'protect the unions," This unlikely campaign has been taken up by the Financial Times, the Times (in a first leader), the Hconomist, and leading spokesmen of the British Employers! -Confederation. They demand two things: a Royal Commission to enquire into Trade Union Law and Practice, and a system of registration of unions that would give the Registrar powers to pron ounce on the legality or otherwise of strikes. Neither of these things is calculated to help the trade union movement, and both could have serious repercussions, particularly at factory level and for shop stewards.
Warning should be taken from the fact that Mr. Edward Martell has joined in this battle, end is using his New Daily to whip up a campaign to force the Conservative Party to take action (Gd. notes since this article was written the Government has indeed announced that an enquiry is to be made into the trade union movement after the election) Two motions have been put down on the Parliamentary order paper, one by Kerby, which has been signed by seven Tory M.P.s and which poses extremest terms of reference for a proposed Royal Commission; and the other by Rodgers, which makes the demand for an enquiry in a more ImnAaratet way ‘Tee dna hoon stomlAa We VAD TD: « A717 Ror sarrattare,
ee v lig VONSGLVEViVe s arty vo WKLtvSe to their MeP. Ss aboot hie cuetvhens anit Apatsbing siden by wtb doling the names of all Tory M.P.s who have not signed. He is also providing a series of arguments which can be used by the less literate ot his supportors in this crusade,
All this should help to persuade the Labour movement that the only acceptable demand is the restoration of the legal position as it was before the Rookes v. Barnard judgements; and that it is essential to insist thet any house-cleaning in the trade union movement will be done by its own card—holding members, A campaign of education and preparation which will mobilise all trade unionists for the return of a Labour Governnent pledged to defend the unions in this field is a matter of urgent necessity. N.B.e In the 23rd March issue of the New —s Martel thre:tened to take
legal action xgainst the power unions if their ‘work to rule! ana/
or ban on overtime damaged his business concerns. He invoked the
Rookes v. Barnard judgement.