The following document was the result of the work of a study group which has meeting for some considerable time. This study group has consisted of trade union members and officialsdrawn from several of the different unions in the steel industry. After circulating a document to other steel workers, Members of Parliament and a few university lecturers, they convened a conference. The original document was subject to many revisions and additions, and is now presented in this form for wider discussions. The re-enacting of the 1949 Act would not provide a proper basis because:
(1) The steel industry must be rationalised and concentrated into five or six main groups;
(2) The steel industry must be brought under national control by Parliament as part of the basis of national economic planning;
(3) The power of the British Iron and Steel Federation and the interlocking directors must be broken and private monopoly replaced by public control; 3
(4) The hiving off of profitable sections and the sub-contracting of profitable work left the state with the least profitable parts of the industry;
(5) Steel must be integrated with coal, power, transport, ports, etc, into economic regional planning;
(6) Parliament, the steelworkers and the public must be supplied with maximum information on the costings which lead to location, investment and pricing policies; detailed costings to be made available to workers! representatives at all levels; .
(7) Representatives of trade unions in steel must be associated at national and plant level, not only with control decisions but directly in management, subject to not prejudicing the present rights of unions in collective bargaining over wages and conditions. What to take over
i All iron ore deposits shall be vested in the nation;
2) All companies engaged in steel manufacture to be registered: some to be operated under a state corporation; others to operate under licence. Those under the state corporation to include (a) the larger companies in both bulk steel and specialised steel sections of the industry; (b) other companies necessary for rationalisation of production and to protect the public ageinst monopoly positions in special products; (c) all subsidiaries of such companies at home and abroad.
(3) All iron ore workings in the U.K. or overseas belonging to British companies;
(4) British Iron and Steel Corporation and B.I.S.C. (Oré) installations, ships, offices, etc;
(5) B.I SRA. Compensation
- To be paid to ordinary shareholders according to average Stock Exchange prices over the last two years in the form of Government fixed-~ interest stock;
- to be paid to directors for loss of office (to encourage them to gole What to set up:
A public board of twelve full-time members not holding other private directorships, responsible to Parliament through the Minister. Members to
retire in rota, after a maximum term of five years but may be eligible for reappointment. The vice-chairman and four members to be appointe* ‘ike the other members by the Minister, but from a panel of names submiticc by «creement among the various trade unions engaged in the industry. Fresh panels of names to be submitted at retirements. The Minister to be responsible for issuing general directives from time to time for pricing and investment policies, taking into ecoount NEDC recommendations, and for ratifying the Group structure which the Board recommends « What powers: To mine, import and sell iron ore; To manufacture and sell iron and steel; To fabricate and sell iron and steel products; To manufacture and sell chemicals, gas, electric power, slag, and other subsidiary products; To operate engineering, processing and other associated undertakings; fo develop joint operations with state and private companies operating overseas 3 To carry ovi research; and establish training colleges for management at all levels; To build, own and manage housing, recreational and other allied activities either alone or in association with other nationalised undertakings; and to carry on any other operations necessary to the successful work of the Board. What organisation: To rationalise and reform the industry by grouping companies, establishing Group Boards and devolving powers as appropriate to theme Subject to the above, to retain company and brand names where all the workers desire this; otherwise to introduce new names based on local associations s To provide for joint conciliation machinery between management and trade unions at national, group and plant levels To provide on enterprise boards and at lower levels of management for a significant element of representation of the workers by lay members, without prejudice to the negotiating rights of their trade unions; To make the appointment of chairman (or managing director) of Enterprise Boards and of lower management subject to the agreement of representative Workers' Councils and for five years only with the possibility of further terms subject to reappointment Negotiations on wages and conditions of all workers, whether on staff or weekly wage terms of contract to be made only through the appropriate trade unions. To provide for a system of shop, mill or office committees elected by secret ballot, with all members eligible to vote and stand as candidates. Nominations and elections to be organised by trade unions. ‘Shop managers’ appointment and the deployment of labour, promotion, hiring and firing and safety, welfare and disciplinary matters to be subject to ratification by these committees. ‘vhere necessary department committees elected from shop committees should be provided for with appropriate higher powers....One half of the Workers! Council to be elected through the shop and department committees, and the other half through trade union branches in proportion to the strength of each union...The Yorkers' Council to be responsible for electing representatives to the enterprise board, for ratification of the chairman's appointment and for receiving reports on all enterprise policies, with power to ask for detailed costing of all departments..., ar lh a _ or? ce eh aaet