50 Years Ago: 1305 AND ALL THAT

“These unofficial strikes must not be allowed to succeed” (speaker’s stress)—B.B.C. official speaker in “Topic For Tonight,” 11/7/.50.

But all strikes are now unofficial strikes:-

“At the N.U.R. Conference at Morecambe to-day a resolution calling for the abolition of the Government’s Arbitration Order 1305 had previously been passed with applause. “Delegates described the order as ‘a millstone round the worker’s neck,’ and called for the freeing of bargaining power to workers in wage-increase negotiation” (Manchester Evening News, 5/7/50).

The Manchester Evening News comments: “Arbitration Order 1305 lays down that no strike may take place unless the Minister of Labour has failed to take appropriate steps within 21 days of receiving notice of dispute. As the minister invariably does take action it means that only in the most unusual circumstances can a strike be legal and strikers entitled to strike pay.”

In fact, if a union pays strike pay to its members it may be prosecuted by the Labour-Party-inspired Ministry of Labour (now headed by ex-trade-unionist George Isaac!) under this Order.

(From article by “OPIFEX”, Socialist Standard, September 1950)