Why Unions Oppose Free Enterprise T HE worker to,-day is committing
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the same anti-social sins as the employers did in the 1930's, said Mr. J. G. Dickie (Transport and General Workers' Union) at the October meeting of the Institute of Traffic Administration. Manchester Centre. lit the past, employers exploited the shortage of jobs, and to-day the employees were exploiting the shortage of labour.
In this situation, the Union was doing all possible to awaken the conscience of the workers, preaching the doctrine that the ordinary driver shared with the management the responsibility for the continuance of good service to the public. The individual was not entitled to measure his importance to the industry by the itnount of his remuneration, but by what he contributed in service to the public.
The railways' virtual monopoly established during the twenties had failed to meet the challenge of road services, but fought them by compe tition, acquisition and restriction. By 1938 British railways controlled 41 bus undertakings, owning some 14,000 vehicles. The workers were forced to the view that capital was being spent, not to improve the service to the public, but to restrict the railways' opposition.
After the 1933 Act the railways followed the same course with the road goods industry.
In connection with nationalization, the public had heard much about the case for the small man, but the small man had largely been squeezed out by the tactics of the big interests over a period of 'years. Between 1938 and 1946 the number of A licences was reduced 7 per cent., but the number of operators went down by 30 per cent. Altogether 23 per cent. 'of the A licences were held by 0.2 per cent, of the operators.
Organized labour was forced to the conclusion that it would be unwise to leave transport in the hands of private enterprise.
Mr. V. W. Pilkington, director of engineering, Leyland Motors Ltd., will speak on "Some Factors in the Design of the Modern Commercial Vehicle" at the next 1.0.T.A., Manchester Cefitre, meeting, at the Grand Hotel, Man chester, on November 18. .