mittees, consisting either wholly of workers or of workers and management, according to the nature of the case. EXAMPLES OF QUESTIONS DEALT WITH: Shop rules. Such working conditions as starting and stopping times, meal hours, night shift arrangements, etc. Accident and sickness arrangements. Shop comfort and hygiene. Benevolent work such as collections for charities, hard cases of illness or accident among the workers. Education schemes: Trade technique. New works developments. Business outlook. Promotions-explanation and, if possible, consultation. (c) Social Union SPHERE. Social_amenities, mainly outside working hours. CONSTITUTION. Includes any or all grades of management and workers. Governing body elected by members irrespective of trade, grade, or sex. EXAMPLES OF ACTIVITIES: Institution of clubs for sports-cricket, football, swimming, etc. Recreative societies-orchestral, choral, debating, etc. Arranging social events-picnics, dances, etc. Provision of games, library, etc., for use in meal hours. (c) INDUSTRIAL COUNCILS THE WHITLEY SCHEME' At the outbreak of war organisation on the part of employers and workpeople existed in varying degrees in the different industries of the country. In such industries as coal mining and cotton both employers and workpeople were highly organised. In other industries the employers' associations and the trade unions were less powerful; and in some trades, if they existed at all, they exercised relatively little influence. In a number of the better organised trades the employers' associations and trade unions concerned established conciliation or arbitration boards. This joint machinery was called into existence in order to provide a medium for the discussion and settlement of industrial disputes; but the work of these bodies was carried on often in an atmosphere of disagreement, because in practice the chief work of the Boards was the settlement of industrial disputes which had reached an acute stage or at least might reasonably be expected to result in a stoppage 1 Reconstruction Problems, Pamphlet No. 18. British Ministry of Reconstruction, March 20, 1919. of work. Although the Boards were formed for the purpose of providing an adequate machinery for negotiating the settlement of industrial difficulties, in some cases at least they became the normal means whereby other questions affecting both employers and employees were discussed. During the war steps have been taken in the direction of extending the number of questions on which general consultation is desirable, and the proposals of the Committee presided over by Mr. J. H. Whitley, M. P., the Deputy Speaker, were made with a view to establishing joint bodies for purposes of consultation and decision on matters of common interest. This Committee, officially known as the Committee on Relations between Employers and Employed, was set up by the Cabinet Committee on Reconstruction : (1) To make and consider suggestions for securing a permanent improvement in the relations between employers and workmen. (2) To recommend means for securing that industrial conditions affecting the relations between employers and workmen shall be systematically reviewed by those concerned, with a view to improving conditions in the future. The Committee came to the unanimous conclusion that the relations of employers and employed could be improved only by the establishment of organisms for free discussion between the two parties in industry. It was necessary to create an atmosphere in which men with opposing views and opposing interests might find it possible to meet. Controversial issues would then be seen in their proper proportion, and the various, perhaps less important, points on which there could be agreement might be considered. For such reasons as these the Committee suggested the formation in each industry of a national Joint Industrial Council. Each Council was to consist of representatives of Employers' Associations and representatives of Trade Unions. It was, therefore, intended that not individuals but organisations should be represented on the industrial councils, and it was clearly perceived that on such councils there would be two sides. It was never intended that the trade unions should be weakened by the admission of representatives of non-unionists; and it was not supposed that the two sides in a council would fly apart into individual groups which would obscure the difference between the employers and the employed. On the other hand the proposals of the Whitley Committee make a very great advance on all pre-war joint organisations. The Industrial Council obviously creates an atmosphere in which the interests of all concerned in an industry might be considered without regard to possible disputes. A good council would initiate and promote development in the industry. It would be a training ground for managerial ability among the workers' representatives and an occasion for the employers to come into closer contact with their workpeople. The complete plan of organisation proposed by the Committee is applicable only to those industries in which there is effective organisation amongst both employers and employed. Whilst under ideal conditions it might be urged that the fabric should be built up from the individual workshop, the need for some immediately practicable scheme and the existence of national trade unions and employers' associations rendered it inevitable that in general a beginning should be made by the establishment of an industrial council covering the whole industry. Nevertheless, it is important that the discussion of the problems of an industry should be brought within the range of all those engaged in the industry. There are, moreover, a number of problems which are local rather than national in character, and in any case it is clear that national agreements need to be interpreted to meet the circumstances prevailing in the different areas where an industry is carried on. The Committee, therefore, suggested that in addition to the national council for an industry, there should be district councils established on the same general plan. With a view to the speedy settlement of minor difficulties, which if not dissipated may give rise to industrial trouble on a large scale, it was necessary to promote organisation within the individual workshop, mine, or factory. The Committee, therefore, also suggested that the organisation of an industry would not be complete unless there existed in individual firms machinery for consultation and discussion between the management and the workpeople. It is not possible to determine in the abstract the distribution of functions between a national industrial council, the district councils, and the works committees; nor is it possible to lay down exactly what the functions of the triple organisation should cover. They may be as wide or as narrow as the organisations concerned choose to make them. Amongst the functions agreed upon by joint industrial councils which have already come into existence are the following:1. To secure the largest possible measure of joint action between employers and workpeople for the development of the industry as a part of national life and for the improvement of the conditions of all engaged in that industry. 2. Regular consideration of wages, hours and working conditions in the industry as a whole. 3. The consideration of measures for regularising production and employment. 4. The consideration of the existing machinery for the settlement of differences between different parties and sections in the industry, and the establishment of machinery for this purpose where it does not already exist, with the object of securing the speedy settlement of difficulties. 5. The consideration of measures for securing the inclusion of all employers and workpeople in their respective associations. 6. The collection of statistics and information on matters appertaining to the industry. 7. The encouragement of the study of processes and design and of research, with a view to perfecting the products of the industry. 8. The provision of facilities for the full consideration and utilisation of inventions and any improvement in machinery or method, and for the adequate safeguarding of the rights of the designers of such improvements, and to secure that such improvement in method or invention shall give to each party an equitable share of the benefits financially or otherwise arising therefrom. 9. Inquiries into special problems of the industry, including the comparative study of the organisation and methods of the industry in this and other countries, and, where desirable, the publication of reports. The arrangement of lectures and the holding of conferences on subjects of general interest to the industry. 10. The improvement of the health conditions obtaining in the industry, and the provision of special treatment where necessary for workers in the industry. II. The supervision of entry into, and training for, the industry, and co-operation with the educational authorities in arranging education in all its branches for the industry. 12. The issue to the press of authoritative statements upon matters affecting the industry and of general interest to the community. 13. Representation of the needs and opinions of the industry to the Government, government departments and other authorities. 14. The consideration of any other matters that may be referred to it by the Government or any government department. 15. The consideration of the proposals for district councils and works committees put forward in the Whitley Report, having regard in each case to any such organisations as may already be in existence. 16. Co-operation with the joint industrial councils for other industries to deal with problems of common interest. The national councils so far established have been the result of conferences between representatives of the two sides and joint committees have drawn up constitutions for the proposed councils. These constitutions in the different industries vary in details, but they all follow the same general principles. There is no uniform method for the formation of joint industrial councils, and in future the larger industries, in which there is now no such council, may evolve some organisation on the same lines but by some new method. Naturally, there can be no rules for the formation of what is a purely voluntary body. It may be presumed, however, from the experience of the past two years that councils are formed by the following method. Representative men either on the employers' or on the workers' side or on both sides agree that the organisation of their industry needs development. Any person or group of persons can, of course, apply to the Ministry of Labour for suggestions as to joint bodies in industry, and a conference of representatives of associations and trade unions in the industry is then called. Such a conference generally appoints a small sub-committee, which drafts a constitution for the National Joint Industrial Council. The representatives of the industry themselves have to decide who shall be regarded as forming part of the industry and what organisations shall be represented. When the constitution has been approved by a meeting representative of the whole industry, the Ministry of Labour is generally approached in order that the Government may give "recognition" to the Council. Recognition indicates chiefly that all government departments will communicate with the industry |